Session Review: Executive Board
The Executive Board sent the possibility of extended legislative terms to voters for their consideration, created a new legislative oversight division and contemplated increasing senators’ pay.
Nebraska voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to extend term limits for members of the Legislature under a measure approved this session.
LR19CA, introduced by Sen. Robert Dover of Norfolk, will extend the current limit of two consecutive four-year terms for state senators to three consecutive four-year terms if approved by Nebraska voters at the 2026 statewide general election.
Senators voted 39-10 to approve the measure. Thirty votes are required to pass a proposed constitutional amendment.
Lawmakers also approved creation of a new division within the Nebraska Legislature and reorganization of the institution’s oversight functions.
Currently, there are five divisions that carry out the institutional and administrative functions of the Nebraska Legislature, including the Office of the Public Counsel. That division includes the Office of Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare and the Office of Inspector General of the Nebraska Correctional System.
LB298, sponsored by Sen. John Arch of La Vista, creates the Division of Legislative Oversight and moves the Legislative Audit Office, OIG for child welfare and OIG for corrections under the new division.
The bill also creates the Legislative Oversight Committee, which replaces the existing Performance Audit Committee. Members will consist of the speaker of the Legislature, chairperson of the Executive Board, chairpersons of the Appropriations, Health and Human Services and Judiciary committees and four state senators appointed by the Executive Board.
LB298 also makes a number of changes to how the inspectors general obtain information, including:
• updating and clarifying subpoena authority;
• removing mandatory direct computer access for IG staff;
• clarifying that information is to be provided to IGs in the most efficient, timely and least burdensome manner;
• clarifying that IGs will suspend an investigation at the request of a law enforcement agency;
• requiring that the IGs be notified as soon as practicable when a criminal investigation involving a death or serious injury required to be reported to the IG has commenced and concluded;
• providing that any confidential information or records shared with the Division of Legislative Oversight, Ombudsman’s Office or the IGs remain confidential; and
• creating a process by which the executive and judicial branches may object to production or disclosure of legally privileged records, reports or documents and negotiate terms of production and disclosure.
The measure also includes the provisions of Adams Sen. Myron Dorn’s LB228, which makes several technical changes to the Performance Audit Act.
LB298 passed on a 46-2 vote and took effect immediately.
Lawmakers debated a proposal this session to potentially increase pay for Nebraska state senators.
Sponsored by Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, LR25CA would place a proposed constitutional amendment on the 2026 general election ballot. Salaries for Nebraska lawmakers are set in the state constitution and cannot be changed without voter approval.
As introduced, the proposal would set the rate of pay for members of the Legislature at the state’s minimum wage rate, beginning Jan. 6, 2027. It also would require that senators receive health insurance paid by the state with equivalent benefits to those offered by Medicaid in effect at the beginning of the term of the most recently elected members.
A pending committee amendment from the Executive Board would strike the original provisions of the measure. Under the amendment, beginning Jan. 3, 2029, senators’ compensation instead would be established by a nonpartisan, independent legislative compensation commission.
Current and former members of the Legislature or their spouses, current or former state or legislative employees, lobbyists, judges and elected officials would be excluded from serving on the commission.
At Hansen’s request, LR25CA was passed over and was not scheduled for further debate this session. It remains on general file.
