New Voices in Nebraska

To learn more about Nebraska New Voices, click here.

Current status: New Voices has not yet been introduced in Nebraska in 2023. The Nebraska legislature holds a two-year session, and legislation can be introduced at any point during the session.

2021: LB 88, sponsored by Senator Adam Morfeld, was passed, 28 – 15 (with two not voting) out of General File, and it moved to the Select File stage of debate.  On April 14, 2021, the bill died in the Select File stage of debate. The legislature voted 30-17 (with two not voting) to overcome a filibuster by opponents. It needed 33 votes to move forward. Earlier in the year, Jan. 29, 2021, student and advisers testified before the Nebraska Judiciary committee in support of LB 88, sponsored by Senator Adam Morfeld. The time allotted for testimony was confined to thirty minutes each for proponents and opponents, but the committee heard testimony from ten students and advisers in support of the bill. The committee received a further 16 letters and six pieces of written testimony, including from organization like the Student Press Law Center, the Nebraska State Education Association, the ACLU of Nebraska and the Nebraska Press Association. Two opponents testified, including the Council of School Administrators, and three letters of opposition were filed.

2020: Legislative Bill 206, sponsored by Senator Adam Morfield, was introduced Nebraska on Jan. 11 2019.

In February 2019, 19 students and advocates testified before the Judiciary committee in support of the legislation. The legislation was then unanimously approved by the committee.

On Jan. 14, 2020, the full unicameral legislature voted in favor of moving the legislation forward. To see how legislators voted, click here. The bill was been placed on the “select file” and need to be approved twice more before moving to the Governor’s desk. Despite the widespread support, a small number of legislators levied a filibuster against the legislation. This included introducing amendments designed to gut the protections for high school students and otherwise render the bill ineffective. Debate on the bill timed out under Nebraska’s legislative rules. The legislature could have voted to bring the bill back for consideration and end the debate, but a combination of hesitation by legislative leadership and the interruption of the legislative session by COVID-19 meant that vote never happened and the bill died for the year.

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Why Nebraska needs New Voices
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  • You can make a difference by contacting your state senator to let them know why this legislation matters to you. Find out who your senator is here. Not sure what to say? Find our phone script and letter-writing tips here.
  • Refine your thoughts with our FAQs, distribute this flyer, or find other resources here.
  • Get looped in with volunteer coordinators to let them know about your efforts. And, please get in touch if you are or were a student journalist (or adviser) who was the target of censorship, intimidation or retaliation:
  • Like and follow the New Voices of Nebraska Facebook page.
  • Enlist all your friends in Nebraska to raise their voices in support of this measure, which ensures the basic First Amendment rights of student journalists and protects their advisers from retaliation.
  • If you are a student or adviser who was censored, intimidated or retaliated against, contact SPLC’s legal hotline.

Why Nebraska needs New Voices

Endorsements

Recent News

Background on past efforts

LB886 dies in committee 2018

LB886 hearing overview 2018

Daily Nebraskan story about LB886 introduction

Introduction of 2016 New Voices bill to protect only college students

Hearing overview of 2016 bill