Senator Sends Letter Requesting School Choice Petition to be Removed From Ballot

LINCOLN–(KFOR Jan. 10)–Only months following the certification of putting a petition to repeal a school choice bill for voters to decide, the lawmaker who sponsored the bill wants the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office to remove it from the November 5 ballot.

On Monday, Elkhorn Senator Lou Ann Linehan sent the letter to Secretary of State Bob Evnen, saying that repealing LB 753 would violate the Nebraska constitution, since the bill was already passed by the Legislature and calls into question the Legislature’s ability to set policy affecting the state’s income.  LB 753 allows tax credits for donations to organizations that provide scholarships for private and parochial education.

Evnen’s office said in a news release to KFOR News they have contacted officials with the petition group, Support Our Schools Nebraska, about Sen. Linehan’s request, asking them to “submit their position on the request.”

Support Our Schools Nebraska spokesperson Jenni Benson issued the following statement.

“Nebraskans have made it very clear they want to vote on whether to divert tax dollars to private schools.

The Secretary of State certified and has made clear that the Repeal LB753 referendum petition met all statutory and constitutional requirements to put this issue on the ballot for the voters to decide.

Sen. Linehan has made it clear that she and her billionaire buddies are afraid to let Nebraskans vote on whether to repeal LB753. They failed miserably in their attempt to derail the petition drive. They will attempt everything they can to try to deny Nebraska voters the right to vote on this issue.

Now let me be clear: Support Our Schools Nebraska will not back down from Linehan, Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos or any others who seek to impose their will on Nebraska voters.”

The OpenSky Policy Institute says the Nebraska Legislature gave voters the ability to provide checks and balances at the ballot box.