Attempted Override Veto of 'Safe Needles' Bill Falls Three Votes Short

Nebraska State Capitol looking east. (Jeff Motz/KFOR News)

LINCOLN–(KFOR Mar. 12)–An attempt to override a veto from Governor Jim Pillen fell three votes short of the 30 necessary.

Lawmakers on Tuesday voted 27-20 to override the veto of LB 307, which was passed by a vote of 30-7 last month. The bill would have allowed public and behavioral health providers distribute hypodermic needles to drug users, at the discretion of local jurisdictions.

Governor Jim Pillen last week vetoed the bill from Omaha Senator Megan Hunt, saying it was “problematic” and that distributors would provide needles to children. After the override attempt failed, Pillen issued the following statement.

“I appreciate that state senators took the time to evaluate LB 307 and took due notice of concerns that caused me to veto the bill. We need to invest in less harmful ways to combat drug usage and disease transmission that are in line with Nebraska values. I look forward to working with our state senators on those strategies in the next session.”