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Government responses to and political effects of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 (Nebraska)
Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.
This article contains coverage of eight kinds of state government responses to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The article tracks developments in these areas that took place between the start of the pandemic in March 2020 through Dec. 4, 2020. The government responses covered here include:
- Changes to election dates and procedures in 2020
- Initial stay-at-home orders
- Executive orders
- Coronavirus-related legislation in 2020
- Changes to the state's 2020 legislative session
- Court closures
- The release of inmates
- Rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies
Additionally, the article includes:
- Arguments related to the state's response to the coronavirus
- Individual industries and activities from May 15 through July 31
- The state's initial plan to reopen from March and April 2020 closures
- Coronavirus resources relevant to the state.
To view current coverage areas, including mask requirements, school responses, travel restrictions, and much more, click a state in the map below.
Changes to election dates and procedures, March 16 through November 19
General election changes
Nebraska modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: Mail-in ballots were sent to all registered voters in the general election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Primary election changes
Nebraska modified its primary election process as follows:
- Voting procedures: Mail-in ballots sent to all registered voters in the primary election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Click the gray bar below for more detailed information.
Statewide stay-at-home order, March 23 through December 4
As of April 7, 2020, Nebraska had not issued a statewide stay-at-home order.
Executive orders, March 30 through June 29
- State of Emergency declared
- Executive Order 20-01 – Emergency Relief Due to COVID-19
- Executive Order 20-02 Out of State Travel Ban
- EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 20-03 CORONA VIRUS- PUBLIC MEETINGS REQUIREMENT LIMITED WAIVER
- Executive Order 20-07 Corona Virus – Temporary Residential Eviction Relief
- Executive Order 20-08 Corona Virus – Expanding Access to Child Care Options
- Executive Order 20-09 Corona Virus – Relief for Restaurant & Bar Operations
- Executive Order 20-10 Coronavirus – Additional Healthcare Workforce Capacity
- Executive Order 20-11 Coronavirus – Limiting Non-Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permits
- Executive Order 20-12 Coronavirus – Relief for Hospitals & Health Care Facilities & Expanded Use of Telehealth Services
- Executive Order 20-13 Coronavirus – Accelerating Online Notary Access & Financial Institutions Regulator Flexibility
- Executive Order 20-14 Coronavirus – Emergency Unemployment Insurance Benefit Relief, Part 2
- Executive 20-15 Coronavirus – Health Information Disclosures
- Executive Order 20-16 Coronavirus – Elections
- Executive Order 20-17 Coronavirus – Personal Property Tax Penalty & Interest Waiver
- 20-18 Coronavirus – Network of Child Care Providers
- 20-19 Coronavirus – Emergency Unemployment Insurance Benefit Relief, Part 3
- 20-20 Coronavirus – Educational Assessment Waivers
Court closures, March 17 through November 4
- March 13, 2020: Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican ordered that all courts in the state remain open.[4]
Legislative session changes, March 20 through October 1
The Nebraska State Legislature suspended its session, effective March 16, 2020, through July 20, 2020. The legislature adjourned on August 13, 2020.[5][6]
Proposed and enacted legislation, March 25 through August 19
See below for a complete list of bills related to the coronavirus pandemic in Nebraska. To learn more about a particular bill, click its title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies, April 9 through November 24
- March 25, 2020: Governor Pete Ricketts issued an executive order which suspended certain eviction proceedings in the state through May 31. The order applied to evictions of tenants for nonpayment on or after March 13. Tenants had to demonstrate an inability to pay rent for a reason related to the coronavirus pandemic.[7]
Prison inmate release responses, March 30 through July 1
- Between March 30 and July 1, Nebraska did not make an announcement concerning the release of incarcerated individuals due to coronavirus on a state level.
Ballotpedia is covering the debate over continuing restrictions and closures in Nebraska in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Click on the links below to read more about these debates.
- Debate over the stay-at-home order
- Debate over school closures
- Debate over religious service restrictions
- Debate over election policy
- Debate over economic impact
Initial reopening plan from March and April 2020 closures
Nebraska released an initial reopening plan from March and April 2020 closures on April 24, 2020. An analysis of this plan appeared in our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter on July 7. The sections below include an analysis of the plan, the details of the plan, and reactions from officials to the plan.
Summary from Documenting America's Path to Recovery
On April 24, Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) announced he would ease some restrictions on businesses and houses of worship statewide and allow parts of the state to begin reopening on a regional basis beginning May 4. Ricketts said, "Our plan is working. Certainly we have areas of hot spots we need to manage. If you take those out, Nebraska is doing very well. Overall, Nebraska is doing really, really well. We've slowed the spread of the virus."
Context
- Gov. Ricketts did not issue a statewide stay-at-home order. On March 18, Ricketts issued a Directed Health Measure that placed limits on gatherings and restrictions on some businesses in four counties. Ricketts expanded the number of counties covered by the Directed Health Measure over the following weeks. By April 3, all counties in Nebraska were subject to the restrictions on gatherings and businesses laid out in the Directed Health Measure.
- As of July 7, there had been 20,046 total positive cases of COVID-19 in Nebraska, and 283 confirmed deaths. As of July 2019, Nebraska’s population was 1,934,408. Per 100,000 residents, there have been 1,036 positive cases and 14.6 deaths.
- Nebraska is a Republican trifecta, with a Republican governor and Republican majority in the state Senate. Nebraska's legislature is a unicameral body, meaning that a party that controls the state Senate and the governorship establishes partisan control of state government.
Plan details
First Phase of Reopening
Nebraska began reopening on a limited and regional basis on May 4.
On that day, Gov. Ricketts relaxed restrictions on gatherings for houses of worship and wedding and funeral services, so long as social distancing guidelines were enforced. The cap on gatherings remained in place for receptions and other activities either before or after the service. Additionally, elective surgeries were allowed to resume statewide. On May 4, Ricketts removed the original Directed Health Measure that had placed restrictions on gatherings and businesses in all counties. He created 19 different Directed Health Measures, one for each local, multi-county health department, to allow for a regional approach to reopening. On that day, restrictions were eased on the following industries in districts under the authority of 10 local health departments.
- Salons, including tattoo parlors, massage therapy, and hair and nail salons, were permitted to reopen, subject to the 10-person cap on gatherings. Both patrons and employees were required to wear masks.
- Restaurants could resume indoor dining at 50% capacity. Buffets and salad bars were to remain closed. Bars were still limited to carryout or delivery services.
- Childcare facilities could reopen with up to 15 kids per room. In the other nine districts, childcare services could only serve up to 10 kids per room.
On May 11, three more districts were placed under the less restrictive Directed Health Measure. An additional district was placed under the less restrictive Directed Health Measure on May 13. On May 18, Ricketts moved three more districts under the less restrictive order.
On May 21, Ricketts announced new Directed Health Measures that would further ease restrictions starting on June 1. Most of Nebraska entered Phase II of reopening on June 1. Four counties were moved into Phase I, which kept in place the restrictions under the previous Directed Health Measures. Under Phase II, the following businesses or activities were allowed to reopen or resume:
- Twenty-five patrons or 25% of rated occupancy (max. 3,000). This gathering limit applied to most non-restaurant or bar businesses, including gyms, salons, barbershops, and massage therapists.
- Bars, taverns, and gentlemen's clubs could resume indoor services at 50% capacity. However, game areas were to be kept closed.
- Non-contact team sports were allowed to resume. Games could resume on June 18. Contact sports remained prohibited. Rodeos were allowed to resume under the new gathering limits.
- Schools could reopen weight rooms to student-athletes on June 1.
- Drive-in movie theaters.
- Venues and facilities with a capacity of more than 500 people were required to submit reopening plans to local health districts.
On June 15, Ricketts announced that 89 counties would advance from Phase II to Phase III on June 22. The four counties in Phase I would move to Phase II on that day. Phase III brought with it the following changes:
- Indoor occupancy restricted to 50%, with a max of 10,000. Outdoor occupancy restricted to 75% of the rated occupancy, with a max of 10,000.
- Restaurants, bars, and gentlemen's clubs can operate at 100% occupancy.
- In bars, taverns, and gentlemen's clubs, the maximum number of people in a party was increased from six to eight. Game areas can open, so long as they receive extra cleaning and sanitation.
- Self-serve buffets and salad bars are still prohibited.
- Gyms, salons, barbershops, massage therapy services, and tattoo parlors can operate at 75% capacity.
On July 6, Dakota, Hall, Hamilton, and Merrick counties were moved into Phase III.
As of July 7, Ricketts has not announced when the state will move into the fourth phase of reopening. However, the state has released an outline of Phase IV changes.
- Indoor gatherings will be limited to 75% of the rated occupancy.
- Outdoor gatherings will no longer be subject to an occupancy limit.
- Bars and restaurants, childcare facilities, churches, gyms, fitness centers, health clubs, health spas, salons, barbershops, massage therapy services, tattoo parlors, sports, and wedding and funeral reception venues will no longer be subject to any restrictions under the Directed Health Measure. Those businesses and services will be recommended to continue following guidance released by the state.
Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.
State resources
Twitter feeds for government officials and agencies appear below.
Federal resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Education
- World Health Organization
See also
- Documenting America's Path to Recovery
- Nebraska’s path to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic
- School responses in Nebraska to the coronavirus pandemic
- School responses to the coronavirus pandemic by state
- COVID-19 vaccine distribution by state
- Travel restrictions by state
- Federal government responses to the coronavirus pandemic
Footnotes
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Nebraska Voters to Receive Early Ballot Request Application," August 19, 2020
- ↑ Office of the Secretary of State of Nebraska, "The Nebraska 2020 Statewide Primary Election is May 12," March 26, 2020
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Wheels of justice grind on in Nebraska as coronavirus generates common and constitutional concerns," March 13, 2020
- ↑ KSCJ, "Nebraska Legislature Suspends Its Session," March 16, 2020
- ↑ MultiState, "2020 Legislative Session Dates," updated June 3, 2020
- ↑ Nebraska Appleseed, "Eviction Moratorium Goes into Effect in Nebraska and Nationwide," March 31, 2020
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