LINCOLN- Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha has introduced LB51, a bill that would require law enforcement officers to undergo more training and become certified on excessive force techniques and would also ban chokeholds. The senator decided to propose this bill after hearing hours of concerns during listening sessions the unicameral held this past summer after the death of George Floyd.

The senator is the chair of the Judiciary Committee, which conducted the listening sessions. Lathrop says larger law enforcement agencies in the state are already doing more training on this issue. Training hours will be increased from 22 hours a year to 40 which will allow more time for psychological evaluations, fitness and more.

As of now, officers can be hired before passing state certification training. Smaller precincts across the state say this is necessary because the grace period allows for more officers to actually work.

Another bill, introduced by Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, has been inspired by this summer's demonstrations. Albrecht's bill would increase penalties for those who riot or assault police officers. LB111 would raise a group of six people rioting from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class IV felony if violence occurs.

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