On Thursday, January 16th, the Nebraska Supreme Court accepted a case from the Nebraska Firearm Owners Association (NFOA), the NRA's state affiliate organization. The case challenges so-called "gun-free zones" established by the cities of Omaha and Lincoln in violation of statewide firearms preemption.
In 2023, Nebraska passed LB 77 to the benefit of law-abiding gun owners, which established both constitutional carry, removing barriers to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense, and statewide firearms preemption, to ensure consistency across the state regarding firearm laws and regulations. Unfortunately, Omaha and Lincoln have passed local ordinances expanding gun free zones beyond the authority granted to them to regulate firearms. The acts of both cities will do little to prevent violent crime, as criminals by their very nature ignore "gun free zones". Instead, ordinances like these impact law-abiding citizens and their ability to protect themselves. Further, it creates a patchwork effect across the state, creating confusion and perhaps unknowingly subjecting people to violations for crossing arbitrary boundaries.
NFOA's challenge was made possible by the legislative wins in LB 77, establishing standing to challenge violations of state laws by localities. The case is captioned NFOA v. Lincoln, and you can read the NFOA's full press release here.
The NRA congratulates NFOA on their efforts and the acceptance of this challenge by the Nebraska Supreme Court. Please stay tuned to the NRA-ILA website and your inbox for future legislative and legal updates.
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