In 1999, Nebraska became the first state whose legislature...

In 1999, Nebraska became the first state whose legislature passed a moratorium on executions. On May 21, the unicameral Nebraska legislature voted 27-21 to approve the bill, which called for a two-year moratorium, but it was vetoed by Governor Mike Johanns on May 26. "The death penalty is the law of our state. I feel strongly that part of my role as Governor is to do all I can to carry out the law for the benefit of the victims and their families," said Johanns, a Republican and death penalty supporter. Sen. Kermit Brashear, lead sponsor of the bill, said he was disappointed that the Governor disregarded the judgment of a majority of state senators but said the fight would continue next year. While maintaining his traditional support for the death penalty, Brashear has become concerned about whether it is applied fairly, noting that only 10 of 168 people imprisoned for first-degree murder in Nebraska are on death row. The legislature also approved funds for a study of how the death penalty is applied. The Governor vetoed that bill as well, but the legislature unanimously overrode the Governor's veto and the death penalty study is now underway. No executions are likely in Nebraska until the study is completed. Bills to establish a racial justice act, to change the method of execution to lethal injection, and to abolish the felony murder law, were all defeated. A felony murder law allows defendants to be convicted of murder, and possibly face a death sentence, based on their involvement in a serious crime in which someone dies, even if they did not directly kill anyone.