Senators hear bill to allow county-level initiative and referendum; amendment offered

Senators on the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee heard public testimony on LB629 on an amendment, AM0415, that would extend initiative and referendum authority to county governments in Nebraska.

Senator Brian Hardin, the bill's introducer, said the amendment adapts the existing municipal INR framework for counties and described the change as intended to give county voters a direct check on county legislating. “There is an expense associated with conducting special elections, and I'm sure that the committee is going to hear about that expense from some of the testifiers today,” Hardin said, while adding he was open to holding citizen measures on regular primary or general election ballots to reduce costs.

Supporters framed the measure as expanding direct democracy. Doug Keegan of Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom testified that petitioning is “one of our greatest opportunities to engage in direct democracy,” saying counties perform many…