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Read the Nebraska Supreme Court Ruling on Voting Rights for Felons
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NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT ADVANCE SHEETS
317 NEBRASKA REPORTS
STATE EX REL. SPUNG v. EVNEN
Cite as 317 Neb. 800
reenfranchisement upon being “restored to civil rights.” But
unlike some state constitutions, the Nebraska Constitution does
not expressly grant the power to restore civil rights to any of
the three branches, nor does it specify the method or criteria by
which civil rights in general, or voting rights specifically, are
to be restored. 32 This is significant for two reasons.
First, because article VI, § 2, establishes the constitutional
policy that a felon’s right to vote can be restored, but does
so without prescribing the means or method to carry that
policy into effect, the reenfranchisement provision is not
self-executing. 33 And when a constitutional provision is not
self-executing, it is generally understood that the Legislature
32 Compare, e.g., N.J. Const. art. II, § 1, ¶ 7 (providing that felony conviction
deprives persons of right to vote but “[a]ny person so deprived, when
pardoned or otherwise restored by law to the right of suffrage, shall again
enjoy that right”); Ky. Const. § 145 (providing that felony conviction
operates to exclude suffrage rights but those excluded “may be restored
to their civil rights by executive pardon”); Utah Const. art. IV, § 6
(providing that any person convicted of felony may not be permitted to
vote until such right “is restored as provided by statute”); N.C. Const.
art. VI, § 2 (providing that no person adjudged guilty of a felony “shall
be permitted to vote unless that person shall be first restored to the rights
of citizenship in the manner prescribed by law”); Or. Const. art. II, § 3
(providing that “privilege of an elector, upon conviction of any crime
which is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary, shall be forfeited,
unless otherwise provided by law”); Fla. Const. art. VI, § 4 (providing that
“any disqualification from voting arising from a felony conviction shall
terminate and voting rights shall be restored upon completion of all terms
of sentence including parole or probation”).
33 See, e.g., State ex rel. Lamm v. Nebraska Bd. of Pardons, 260 Neb.
1000, 620 N.W.2d 763 (2001); In re Applications A-16027 et al., 242
Neb. 315, 495 N.W.2d 23 (1993), modified on denial of rehearing 243
Neb. 419, 499 N.W.2d 548; Indian Hills Comm. Ch. v. County Bd. of
Equal., 226 Neb. 510, 412 N.W.2d 459 (1987); State, ex rel. Walker, v.
Board of Commissioners, 141 Neb. 172, 3 N.W.2d 196 (1942). See, also,
Davis v. Burke, 179 U.S. 399, 403, 21 S. Ct. 210, 45 L. Ed. 249 (1900)
(recognizing rule that constitutional provision “is not self-executing when
it merely indicates principles, without laying down rules by means of
which those principles may be given the force of law””).
US negotiators to head to Pakistan and Iranian cargo ship seized – a recappublished at 00:37 BST 20 April
Tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday
Here’s a recap of the latest developments.
US negotiators will head to Pakistan on Monday with the intention of holding further talks on ending the war, Trump says – but Iranian state media cites unnamed officials as saying Tehran has “no plans for now to participate”.
The prospect of further high-level negotiations – a White House official says Vice-President JD Vance will attend – comes amid reports of fresh attacks on commercial vessels.
Trump says the navy intercepted and took “custody” of an Iranian tanker attempting to pass through the US blockade, “blowing a hole” in the ship’s engine room in the process.
Earlier, in the same post announcing his representatives would travel for more talks, Trump renewed his threat to destroy Iranian energy sites and bridges if no deal is reached.
Reports in Iranian media over the weekend suggest Iran is continuing to work on plans to potentially apply a toll to ships passing through the strait – although it’s unclear if such a move will be implemented.
Iranian state TV cites unnamed officials as saying that “continuation of the so-called naval blockade, violation of the ceasefire and threatening US rhetoric” are slowing progress in reaching an agreement.
Trump also accused Iran of violating the ceasefire, saying more commercial ships have been attacked by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
A UK maritime agency reported two commercial ships came under fire in the strait on Saturday.
Iran’s foreign minister had said on Friday that the strait would be opened – which was shortly followed by Trump saying the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place until a deal is reached. Iran has since said the strait is closed again.
new video loaded: 8 Children Killed in Louisiana Shooting, Police Say
By Christina Kelso
April 19, 2026
An aerial view shows damage from a tornado, on Saturday in Lena, Ill.
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Communities across the Upper Midwest are cleaning up after tornadoes and severe weather impacted the region over the weekend, damaging and destroying dozens of homes and knocking out power for tens of thousands.
“Numerous” severe storms were tracked across parts of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. At least 66 tornado reports were submitted in multiple states including Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa, the NWS Quad Cities IA/IL office said Sunday.
No deaths have been reported from the severe weather and tornado outbreak.
In Marion Township in Minnesota, about 30 homes were damaged and a dozen have significant damage because of a tornado, according to the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. The tornado also damaged at least 20 homes in Stewartville and there is a temporary shelter in Rochester for people displaced by the storms, according to MPR News.
“Tornado disaster recovery continues to occur at full speed,” the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday.
In Illinois, McClean County officials declared a disaster emergency because of severe storms in Bloomington. “At this time, no injuries have been reported, and emergency response agencies remain actively engaged to ensure public safety and continuity of essential services,” officials said in a statement.
But further north in the village of Lena, an EF-2 tornado caused the “most significant damage” where “many homes and outbuildings were damaged, trees uprooted, and power lines downed,” the NWS said. Numerous roads have also been blocked by debris, the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office also said.
People continue to clean up following a tornado, on Saturday in Lena, Ill.
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There have been no fatalities and no reports of serious injuries associated with the storm, Chief Deputy Andy Schroeder from the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office told NPR on Sunday.
More than 43,000 customers lost power in Illinois but power was restored to almost all of them by Saturday night, according to electric utility ComEd.
Several tornadoes also occurred across Wisconsin, according to the NWS office in La Crosse. Twenty-six tornado warnings were issued by the office on Friday, the most in one day since the weather service office was built in 1995.
In one Marathon County town, 75 homes were destroyed by a tornado, according to Ringle Fire Chief Chris Kielman.
“It took out a whole residential area,” Kielman said, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
The American Red Cross of Wisconsin said volunteers are helping those impacted by the storm with meals, shelter and support.
Parts of the state are still dealing with multiple rounds of severe weather and tornadoes from earlier in the week that brought flooding to some communities.
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