Neb. Rev. Stat. § 18-2538 (2026)

The municipality or any chief petitioner may seek a declaratory judgment regarding any questions arising under the Municipal Initiative and Referendum Act, as it may be from time to time amended, including, but not limited to, determining whether a measure is subject to referendum or limited referendum or whether a measure may be enacted by initiative. If a chief petitioner seeks a declaratory judgment, the municipality shall be served as provided in section 25-510.02. If the municipality seeks a declaratory judgment, only the chief petitioner or chief petitioners shall be required to be served. Any action brought for declaratory judgment for purposes of determining whether a measure is subject to limited referendum or referendum, or whether a measure may be enacted by initiative, may be filed in the district court at any time after the filing of a referendum or initiative petition with the city clerk for signature verification until forty days from the date the governing body received notification pursuant to section 18-2518. If the municipality does not bring an action for declaratory judgment to determine whether the measure is subject to limited referendum or referendum, or whether the measure may be enacted by initiative until after it has received notification pursuant to section 18-2518, it shall be required to proceed with the initiative or referendum election in accordance with the Municipal Initiative and Referendum Act. If the municipality does file such an action prior to receiving notification pursuant to section 18-2518, it shall not be required to proceed to hold such election until a final decision has been rendered in the action. Any action for a declaratory judgment shall be governed generally by sections 25-21,149 to 25-21,164, as amended from time to time, except that only the municipality and each chief petitioner shall be required to be made parties. The municipality, city clerk, governing body, or any other officers of the municipality shall be entitled to rely on any order rendered by the court in any such proceeding. Any action brought for declaratory judgment pursuant to this section shall be given priority in scheduling hearings and in disposition as determined by the court. When an action is brought to determine whether the measure is subject to limited referendum or referendum, or whether a measure may be enacted by initiative, a decision shall be rendered by the court no later than five days prior to the election. The provisions of this section relating to declaratory judgments shall not be construed as limiting, but construed as supplemental and additional to other rights and remedies conferred by law.