{"id":2332738,"date":"2024-08-28T15:55:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T19:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nebraska-attorney-general-trying-to-toss-laws-letting-felons-vote-after-release-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-28T16:00:56","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T20:00:56","slug":"nebraska-attorney-general-trying-to-toss-laws-letting-felons-vote-after-release-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nebraska-attorney-general-trying-to-toss-laws-letting-felons-vote-after-release-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Nebraska attorney general trying to toss laws letting felons vote after release &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnebraska-attorney-general-trying-to-toss-laws-letting-felons-vote-after-release-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2332738&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The \u2063Nebraska <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-ag-barr-authorizes-federal-prosecutors-to-pursue-substantial-allegations-of-voting-irregularities-before-2020-election-is-certified\/\" title=\"BREAKING: AG Barr Authorizes Federal Prosecutors to Pursue &quot;Substantial Allegations&quot; of Voting Irregularities Before 2020 Election is Certified\">attorney general<\/a>, Mike\u2062 Hilgers, is seeking to invalidate \u2063two\u200b laws \u2063that allow\u2063 felons to vote upon completing their sentences. Earlier this year, the Nebraska legislature enacted a bipartisan law permitting immediate voting after\u2063 sentence completion, building on a 2005 law that allowed voting two years post-release. Hilgers contends both laws are unconstitutional, asserting that \u2064the restoration of voting rights is a prerogative of the Board of Pardons, not the legislature. As a result, confusion surrounds\u2063 the voting status\u2064 of over 7,000 Nebraska \u2064felons who expected their rights to be restored. Nebraska\u2019s Secretary of State, Bob Evnen, has instructed\u2062 county officials\u200c to refrain from registering felons \u2064pending clarification from the state Supreme Court, \u200dwhich is\u2062 set to hear\u200d oral arguments soon.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Nebraska attorney general trying to toss laws letting felons vote after release<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1728896\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Voting rights for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/felon-voting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>felons<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nebraska\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Nebraska<\/a> are in limbo after the state&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/special-counsel-forcefully-opposes-hunter-bidens-trump-request-calling-it-meritless\/\" title=\"Special Counsel strongly opposes Hunter Biden&#039;s Trump request, deeming it &#039;baseless\">attorney general acted<\/a> to toss out two voting laws.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In a moment of bipartisan unity, the Nebraska legislature passed a law, 38 to 6, earlier this year that allowed people convicted of felonies to cast a ballot immediately after completing their <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/prison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"sentences\">sentences<\/a>. The state already had a similar law from 2005 that allowed convicted felons to vote two years after completing their sentences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers believes both are unconstitutional, leaving confusion ahead of November.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers speaks with members of the media outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill on Feb. 28, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Patrick Semansky)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hilgers issued a written opinion that the new law was unconstitutional, and he said the 2005 law had incorrectly interpreted the state&rsquo;s constitution. He said the state constitution made it clear that &ldquo;the act of restoring civil rights is a pardon and within the exclusive power of the Board of Pardons,&rdquo; not the state legislature. The Board of Pardons includes the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nevada-trump-campaign-says-clark-county-registrar-joe-gloria-hiding-from-subpoena-service\/\" title=\"Nevada: Trump Campaign Says Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria Hiding From Subpoena Service\">state attorney general<\/a>, the secretary of state, and the governor of Nebraska.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Since his&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/nebraska-prison-voting-rights-217fbdd478cf204a6fe9635a9c661fe9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">opinion<\/a>&nbsp;last month, some people with felonies have been released from prison, and others who have reached the two-year threshold a<\/span>re wondering about their voting status. There are more than <a href=\"https:\/\/nebraskaexaminer.com\/2024\/04\/18\/felon-voting-rights-restoration-proposal-becomes-law-but-faces-possible-legal-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>7,000 Nebraskans ready<\/a> to have their voting rights restored by the new law, according to RISE, a reentry program for incarcerated Nebraskans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I am hopeful that the Nebraska Supreme Court will quickly issue a decision prior to the November general election. We will follow whatever direction the court gives us regarding felon registrations,&rdquo; Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, a Republican, said in a statement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Last month, Evnen ordered county election officials to stop registering felons to vote who had not been pardoned due to the unclear nature of the two laws.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Opinions from the attorney general do not become law unless the state Supreme Court acts on them. Oral arguments are scheduled in the Nebraska Supreme Court on Wednesday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/08\/28\/us\/nebraska-felon-voting.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>according to<\/a> the <em>New York Times<\/em>, but it is unclear when exactly the state&rsquo;s high court will rule on the matter. Evnen said he would respect the court&rsquo;s decision.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Whatever the court decides, that&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;m going to do. We believe in the rule of law. The court&rsquo;s going to decide this issue, and whatever their decision is, we&rsquo;re going to follow that decision,&rdquo; Evnen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ketv.com\/article\/nebraska-supreme-court-set-to-rule-objection-felon-voting-rights-law\/61996289\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>During a floor debate on the bill, the bill&rsquo;s co-sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Justin Wayne, said, &ldquo;At the end of the day, when you have completed your sentence, when you are done, you should be able to participate in our society fully and completely.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Nebraska is one of at least 26 states in recent decades that have eased restrictions on felon voting, according to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sentencingproject.org\/reports\/expanding-the-vote-state-felony-disenfranchisement-reform-1997-2023\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>analysis by the Sentencing Project<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1728896\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1728896\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nebraska&#8217;s attorney general is seeking to invalidate laws that permit felons to vote after their release, creating uncertainty around voting rights for these individuals in the state. Earlier this year, the Nebraska legislature passed a law with bipartisan support (38 to 6) allowing those with felony convictions to vote immediately upon completing their sentences. This was in addition to an existing 2005 law that permitted voting two years post-sentence. Attorney General Mike Hilgers argues that both laws are unconstitutional, leading to confusion as the November elections approach.<\/p>\n<p>Hilgers has stated in a written opinion that the new law violates constitutional provisions and claims the 2005 law misinterpreted state constitutionality. He asserts that restoring civil rights is equivalent to granting a pardon, which falls solely under the authority of the Board of Pardons\u2014comprising the attorney general, secretary of state, and governor\u2014rather than being within legislative power.<\/p>\n<p>Since Hilgers&#8217; opinion was released last month, some individuals with felony records have been released from prison while others who have completed two years are uncertain about their eligibility to vote. According to RISE\u2014a reentry program for formerly incarcerated Nebraskans\u2014over 7,000 individuals could potentially regain their voting rights under the new legislation.<\/p>\n<p>Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen expressed hope for a swift ruling from the Nebraska Supreme Court before November&#8217;s general election and indicated readiness to comply with whatever decision is made regarding felon registrations. Last month he instructed county election officials not to register felons who had not received pardons due to ambiguities surrounding both laws.<\/p>\n<p>While opinions from an attorney general do not become enforceable law without action from the Supreme Court, oral arguments are set for Wednesday; however, it remains unclear when a ruling will be issued. Evnen affirmed his commitment to uphold any court decision: &#8220;Whatever they decide is what I\u2019m going to do&#8230; We believe in rule of law.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>During discussions on this bill earlier on, co-sponsor Democratic Senator Justin Wayne emphasized that once individuals complete their sentences they should fully participate in society again. In recent decades, Nebraska has joined at least 26 other states in relaxing restrictions on voting for felons according to research by The Sentencing Project<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2332739,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Nebraska-Mike-Hilgers.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32116,15293,4762,14648,32570],"class_list":["post-2332738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-attorney-general","tag-felons","tag-legislation","tag-nebraska","tag-voting-rights"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Nebraska-Mike-Hilgers.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2332738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2332739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2332738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2332738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2332738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}