Senators hear bill to replace Legislative Planning Committee with Sunset Review Committee

Senator Ben Hansen, chair of the Executive Board, introduced LB 634 at an Executive Board hearing to replace the Legislative Planning Committee with a Legislative Sunset Review Committee that would review boards, councils, commissions, funds and programs created by the Legislature.

The bill would require each reviewable entity to submit a report with three years of performance data, budget usage, statutory authority, program outcomes and identified overlaps. Beginning in 2026 the Sunset Review Committee would establish a schedule so that entities are reviewed every five years; reports could prompt recommendations to continue, reorganize or sunset an entity. Reports would be examined by the State Auditor and the Appropriations Committee, and the committee would present findings and proposed legislation to the Speaker by Dec. 15 of the review year.

Hansen told the committee he drafted the measure to…