Starting today, Nebraskans who are 21 and older will be allowed to carry concealed weapons without a permit.
Legislative Bill 77 is one of several bills the Nebraska Legislature passed this year that takes effect Sept. 2. The bill will apply statewide and invalidate several local gun ordinances. However, city governments in Omaha and Lincoln have taken steps to ban firearms in public spaces in response to the law.
Previously in Nebraska, getting a concealed carry permit required passing a criminal background check, paying a $100 fee and taking an eight- to 16-hour gun safety class.
Measures like LB 77 are sometimes called “constitutional carry” in reference to some gun rights advocates’ belief that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives people the right to carry concealed guns without a permit.
The bill’s introducer, State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, had been trying to pass legislation similar to LB 77 since taking office in 2017. In a written statement last week, Brewer celebrated the law, saying that “Nebraskans will no longer have to ask the government for permission to carry a concealed handgun.”
“Nebraska’s laws are about to more closely resemble our Nebraska values,” Brewer said. “Let’s show the world what we can do with an extra measure of liberty.”
LB 77 was one of the more contentious debates during this year’s legislative session, with strong opinions expressed by both sides. The bill got mixed reviews from local law enforcement agencies and city governments.
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert and a majority of Omaha City Council members opposed LB 77. Earlier this week, Stothert issued an executive order banning firearms on city-owned properties. It also takes effect Saturday.
Also this week, however, the council voted to repeal 22 city gun ordinances and amend eight others because LB 77 made them invalid. Brewer said the new law will have the biggest effect on Omaha and Lincoln.
“We don’t want to be doing this,” Omaha City Council President Pete Festersen said. “It’s required by the new law.”
