LINCOLN- LB254 received the first round of approval this week as a bill that would create a video archive of Nebraska legislative proceedings, an effort that has spanned multiple years. The archive would bring Nebraska to the same level of access to legislative proceedings as nearly every other state, as well as Congress and many local levels of government. The proposal advanced 33-0.

A similar measure was proposed in 2022, but there simply was not enough time. Nebraska is one of only four states — in addition to Illinois, Pennsylvania and South Dakota — that do not have archived webcasts. Sen. Brewer, the bill's sponsor, said LB 254 would help Nebraska “live up” to the ideals of George Norris, whose idea of the Unicameral was to promote transparency and uplift the citizenry as the “second house.”

Clerk of the Legislature, Brandon Metzler, said the clerk's office is ready to help. “We are in a place with video now that we have not been previously, and we feel comfortable with what you choose to do going forward,” Metzler told the Legislature’s Executive Board on Feb. 10. “We’re arms open, willing to work to get a product out there … that’s both transparent but also what you want for a professional representation of the Legislature.”

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