LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An effort to repeal the death penalty in Nebraska has cleared another critical vote in the Legislature.
Lawmakers voted 30-16 on Friday to advance the repeal measure through the second of three required votes, despite a filibuster led by death-penalty supporters.
One final vote is required before it goes to Republican Governor Pete Ricketts, a death penalty proponent who has promised a veto. If the current support holds, the bill will have a veto-proof majority.
Some lawmakers have argued that Nebraska should abolish capital punishment because it has only wasted money and created a false promise for victims' families. The state hasn't executed anyone since 1997, and some prisoners have been on death row for decades.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.