Glad to learn that Nebraska and Utah are closer to completely banning slavery and involuntary servitude.

• Nebraska Sen. Justin Wayne’s bill to repeal the penal exception from his state constitution’s anti-slavery amendment has been passed in third reading by the Nebraska Legislature to the voters for a November 2020 vote.
• Utah State Rep. Sandra Hollins’ equivalent bill (HJR 8, which would amend Article 1, Section 21 of Utah’s constitution) passed through their the Utah Senate’s Business and Labor Committee after being substituted to include a section stating that the full prohibition “does not apply to the otherwise lawful administration of the criminal justice system.” This substitution passed second reading unanimously and is due to be voted on before the Legislature adjourns Sine Die on Thursday. After approval, it will go before voters in November 2020.

The only problem I have is with the substitution in the Utah bill, which could be a loophole for the prison-industrial complex.