10 things you need to know today: May 28, 2015

Nebraska lawmakers override a veto to repeal the death penalty, Santorum launches second presidential bid, and more

Santorum time?
(Image credit: (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic))

1. Nebraska legislators repeal death penalty over governor's veto

Nebraska lawmakers on Wednesday voted to repeal the state's death penalty law, overriding a veto by Gov. Pete Ricketts (R). The bipartisan 30-to-19 vote was just enough to get past the veto. It made Nebraska the first conservative state in 40 years to abolish capital punishment. The final vote ended a months-long battle in Nebraska's unicameral Legislature. Ricketts, a staunch supporter of capital punishment, had the backing of many law enforcement officials. Eighteen other states and Washington, D.C., also have banned the death penalty.

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.