Secretary Evnen announced his support Monday for Legislative Bill 927, a bill that would strengthen the existing laws prohibiting ballot question committees from accepting funding from foreign nationals.
In Nebraska, it is currently illegal for foreign nationals to directly or indirectly donate, solicit donations, or participate in the decision-making process for the support or opposition of a ballot measure. However, the law does not adequately define contributions from foreign sources, nor does it describe a penalty for those found to be in violation of that law. Should LB 927 pass, that which constitutes a violation of the law would be clarified and financial penalties for both the ballot measure committees and foreign contributors would be implemented.
As Nebraska’s Chief Elections Officer, the Secretary of State is responsible for safeguarding our state’s elections. Secretary Evnen met with Senator Andersen in 2025 to discuss the initiation of LB 927 following the presentation of evidence indicating that foreign donations had been collected in support of several ballot measures in recent elections, despite laws prohibiting it.
“This law is very important because it prevents foreign actors from influencing our elections, but right now it is difficult to enforce because of loose definitions and the absence of adequate penalties,” said Secretary Evnen. “LB927 defines a foreign contribution to ballot measures and lays out heavy fines for both accepting contributions and making them.”
Senator Andersen introduced the bill on January 9, 2026, and a hearing is scheduled for February 4.
