Nebraska removes anti-school choice measure from ballot in ongoing battle

In a victory for education freedom, an anti-school choice measure is being removed from the November ballot in Nebraska.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced Thursday that a referendum on school choice would not appear on the election ballot in November.

LB 753, which passed the unicameral Legislature in 2023, would establish tax-credit funded Opportunity Scholarships, the state’s first-ever school choice program.

However, an anti-choice coalition – Support Our Schools Nebraska – banded together to oppose the effort, claiming it would “hurt kids, Nebraska public schools, and taxpayers.”

In response, lawmakers passed LB 1402 last month. It creates essentially the same program but is funded through government appropriations rather than tax credit donations.

LB 1402 also repealed LB 753, making the ballot referendum a moot point.

Nevertheless, the same anti-choice coalition has filed a challenge against LB 1402 as well.  

“Nebraskans must protect their voice – their right to vote on this issue,” said Jenni Benson, president of the state’s largest public school teachers’ union. 

According to Evnen, Support Our Schools Nebraska has until July 17 to collect over 60,000 signatures.