Nebraska senators debate LB 298 to create Division of Legislative Oversight; opponents object to criminal penalties and confidentiality rules

Lincoln, Neb. — Nebraska senators spent more than two hours Tuesday debating LB 298, Speaker Arch—s proposal to create a Division of Legislative Oversight that would move the legislative performance audit office and the state—s two inspectors general under a single director and a new oversight committee while clarifying access to agency information and subpoena authority.

The bill, carried as AM 15-04, aims to address questions raised by an August 2023 Attorney General opinion that curtailed information flows to legislative oversight offices and prompted a temporary memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the legislature and the executive branch. "LB 2 98 will be transformational for the legislature as an institution," Speaker Arch said on the floor, arguing the bill "gets us to where we should be" by reuniting fragmented oversight functions and restoring access to information.

Supporters said the reorganization would coordinate oversight work and restore steady access for inspectors general and auditors. The proposal would create a director of legislative oversight, to be appointed by a two-thirds legislative vote to a six-year term; place the Legislative Audit Office and the Offices of Inspector General for Child Welfare and for the Correctional System under that division; and create a special Legislative Oversight Committee that can approve annual work plans, key performance indicators, and receive quarterly briefings from the division director.

But a major point of…