As we told you last week the clock is ticking in the fight over so-called school choice, and now that clock is down to mere hours.

Earlier this year Gov. Jim Pillen signed legislation making it possible for parents to send their kids to private schools, paid for with public dollars.

That set-in motion a petition drive to overturn the new law, and the deadline to turn in thousands of names is
Wednesday.

In our initial report we heard about the costs involved in this fight, now the politics and some of the controversial votes that sent the issue to Pillen’s desk.

[View our full video report above]

Jane Kleeb, NE Democratic Party: “Looking at other states I have a gut feeling that I don't think it's going to work that I think it's going to be a waste of taxpayer dollars.”

Jane Kleeb the head of the Nebraska Democratic Party opposing the state’s new so-called school choice law, allowing some parents to move their kids from public schools to private schools, backing an intense statewide petition drive to overturn the law at the ballot box on Election Day, 2024.

The bill signed into law earlier this year by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, following the Legislature’s narrow yes vote, which included three key Democrats, all Omahans:  Mike McDonnell, Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney.

Joe Jordan, NCN: “Without them I’m not sure it would have been adopted. Was that a gut punch for you guys?”

Kleeb: “It's not a gut punch at all. The reality is as a Democratic Party because we have such a diverse constituency there's going to be different ideas on different issues.”

Sen. Justin Wayne, Omaha (D): “We had 45 people from north Omaha down here yesterday, not one person said I should be against this bill. In fact, they were like, ‘we need something.’”

Sen. Terrell McKinney, Omaha (D): “I had a Native American woman that I know reach out to me. She was like ‘I took my kid out of private school and put him in public school, and he did worse.’”

Meanwhile the petition drive is staring at an August 30 deadline, needing nearly 61,000 valid signatures to make the ballot, in face of folks urging people not to sign.

Joe Jordan, NCN: “If the legislation is so solid why does your side oppose the petition drive. Put it on the ballot. If your side wins your side wins, right?”

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan (Elkhorn, (R): “Because it'll cost millions of dollars on both sides. If everybody was being honest, I wouldn't have any concerns about putting it on the ballot. But I have seen all summer dishonesty.”

Kleeb: “There is no question—based on polling, based on door knocks, based on phone calls that we're getting from voters—that the vast majority of Nebraskans want to make sure that public dollars stay with public schools. Public schools will win on the ballot.”

In the meantime, it’s wait and see.

Sen. Wayne: “This may not be the answer and I've said that 50 times. This may not be the silver bullet, in fact I don't think it is, but nobody else is giving an option to these parents.”

That controversial option sending public school kids to private schools, paid for with public dollars.