USA - Nebraska. Lawmakers voted 30-16 to advance the death penalty repeal bill through the second of three votes.

Lawmakers voted 30-16 to advance the death penalty repeal bill through the second of three votes. Supporters of capital punishment in the State Legislature made an all-out effort Friday to block a repeal bill. After a difficult 4-hour debate, they failed. Lawmakers voted 34-14 - 1 more vote than was needed - to cut off a filibuster of the repeal bill. They followed up with a 30-16 vote to advance Legislative Bill 268 to the third round of debate. The bill advanced with the same number of votes needed to override a veto. Gov. Pete Ricketts said the movement to replace capital punishment with life in prison was "out of touch" with Nebraskans he talks with on the issue. "The Legislature's vote to advance Ernie Chambers' repeal of the death penalty puts the safety of the public and Nebraska families at risk," the governor said. A veto override now seems more within reach, which explains why death penalty supporters took the offensive in Friday's debate.