Nebraska legislature repeals death penalty, overriding governor’s veto

(Reuters) – Nebraska became the first Republican-dominated state in more than 40 years to abolish capital punishment as legislators overrode the governor’s veto of a bill repealing the death penalty.

The state’s unicameral legislature voted 30-19, the exact number of votes needed to override Republican Governor Pete Ricketts’ veto, to replace capital punishment with a term of life without parole.

Nebraska became the first majority Republican state to repeal the death penalty since North Dakota did it in 1973, and joined 18 other states and the District of Columbia in banning executions. Nebraska has not executed an inmate since 1997, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, which tracks capital punishment.