A new campaign has been set in motion by a group of Nebraska petitioners, aimed at bolstering the protection of voter-approved laws against legislative changes. This initiative seeks to amend the state constitution, ensuring that laws passed by the public remain as intended.
Named the Respect Nebraska Voters petition, this proposal intends to increase the legislative threshold required to modify or overturn laws established through voter approval. Additionally, it applies a similar threshold to any changes in the ballot initiative and referendum process.
Jo Giles, executive director of the Women’s Fund of Omaha and a key sponsor of the petition, emphasized the necessity of this amendment. According to Giles, the goal is to safeguard voter-approved laws from legislative interference unless an overwhelming majority of state senators—four-fifths—agrees to the changes. She stated, “It makes sure that when Nebraskans approve a law, politicians cannot change it or overturn it unless at least a four-fifths of the state senators agree to do so.” Furthermore, the initiative aims to protect the integrity of the process itself by requiring the same threshold for altering the ballot initiative and referendum procedures.
Under the current system, a two-thirds majority, or 33 senators, is needed to amend or overturn voter-approved legislation. The proposed amendment would significantly raise this requirement, reflecting a growing concern among some voters about legislative actions that undermine public decisions.
Dawn Essink, another cosponsor of the initiative, expressed the movement as a response to perceived legislative encroachments on voter-approved laws. Essink remarked, “Ultimately, we wouldn’t be here if lawmakers would just do what we want them to do: respect Nebraska voters.” She highlighted the collaborative effort required to bring such a proposal to fruition, stating that it’s a demanding process to qualify anything for the ballot.
The petitioners pointed to recent examples where voter-approved measures like those for paid sick leave and minimum wage increases, and medical marijuana faced legislative hurdles, including debates, modifications, or delays in implementation.
The coalition began the process in November last year by filing the necessary language with the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office, aiming for inclusion on the November 2026 ballot. To achieve this, they must gather signatures from approximately 10% of registered voters in Nebraska, including at least 5% from 38 different counties, by early July.
