Senate reappoints Julie Rogers as public counsel after contested debate

The Nebraska Senate reappointed Julie Rogers as public counsel after a floor debate over the office’s oversight of correctional institutions.

Senator Ben Hansen, speaking for the Executive Board, introduced Rogers’s nomination and described her tenure, including prior service as Nebraska’s inspector general of child welfare and her leadership of the public counsel’s office since January 2020. Hansen reminded colleagues that the appointment requires 33 votes for confirmation.

Senator Daniel McKinney explained his “no” vote, citing what he described as diminished confidence in the public counsel’s office following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Corrections. McKinney said the MOU restricted ombudsman access to institutions, reduced the office’s visits, and left incarcerated people and their families feeling unheard, arguing the office “is supposed to be our checks and balances” and that the problems begin with leadership.

Speaker John Arch and several other senators defended Rogers. Arch said the inclusion of the ombudsman in the attorney general’s opinion was not Rogers’s responsibility and praised her as thoughtful and “very deliberative.” Senator Spivey, who said she has visited multiple correctional facilities, acknowledged gaps families reported but described Rogers as open to communication and urged deliberation about leadership without dismissing Rogers’s work.

After discussion, the Clerk recorded the vote: 42 ayes and 4 nays. The reappointment was approved.

The reappointment carries an expectation of oversight continuity for the public counsel’s office; several senators said they will continue to press for improved responsiveness to incarcerated people and their families.