OMAHA — Advocates seeking an amendment to the Nebraska Constitution to “protect” and make it harder to tweak citizen-initiated laws, such as those around payday lending, gambling, minimum wage, paid sick leave and medical cannabis, will start gathering signatures this week for the 2026 ballot.

Proponents see the changes as necessary in light of recent legislative action or inaction on voter-backed laws. But some advocates of recent ballot measures and a few state senators said they worry about unintended consequences. The new group, “Respect Nebraska Voters,” kicked off its 2026 campaign this week in Omaha. If successful, the effort would increase the threshold of lawmakers required to change voter-approved laws from 33 state senators (two-thirds) to 40 (four-fifths).

Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan one-house Legislature has 49 state lawmakers. Former State Sen. Al Davis, a Sandhills rancher, helped lead a 2020 measure to cap payday lending rates. It passed with about 83% of the vote. He is now a co-sponsor of Respect Nebraska Voters and said the push could be important for the future of ballot measures. “I fear we’re now in the unfortunate place where many everyday Nebraskans are left wondering if initiatives matter at all, or if lawmakers will simply reach for the eraser after every election,” Davis said. “I believe we can restore trust and do better by putting more power in voters’ hands.”

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