IN NEBRASKA, CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY ADVANCES, BUT OPPONENTS PLAN TO FEED IT A “POISON PILL”

A bill expanding who could legally carry concealed weapons in Nebraska cleared a major hurdle Tuesday. State lawmakers voted 30-12 to pull the bill (LB773) out of the Judiciary Committee, where it had stalled, to be debated by the full Legislature. It's unclear whether the measure has enough votes to go any further.

The “poison pill” amendment would allow cities of the metropolitan class, meaning Omaha but not Lincoln, to require registration of all handguns, other than those owned by people with a concealed-carry permit. The city could not deny registrations to anyone allowed by state law to own a gun. This would likely cause gun rights advocates to oppose the bill.