A state lawmaker who wants to abolish Nebraska's death penalty will present his repeal proposal to a state panel next week.

Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha will offer the bill Wednesday to the Legislature's Judiciary Committee.

Chambers is an outspoken death-penalty opponent who has repeatedly tried to end the practice. He returned to the Legislature after a four-year hiatus imposed by term limits.

His measure would replace the death penalty with a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. In the bill, Chambers rails against the death penalty as a failure that has harmed the state's reputation for fairness, decency and respect for human dignity.

The bill is co-sponsored by three other senators, who along with Chambers make up half of the committee.