LINCOLN- Attorney General Mike Hilgers testified in favor of a bill introduced by State Sen. Danielle Conrad, moments after the senator had ripped the state’s top lawyer for a “poorly written and political” legal opinion. Conrad was referring to the nonbinding legal opinion from Hilgers in August opining that legislatively created “inspector general” offices to monitor operations in state prisons and the child welfare system were an unconstitutional infringement by the Legislature on the authority of the executive branch of government.

The Lincoln senator has decried the legal opinion, saying that the agencies are “thumbing their noses” at state law, which requires the Legislature to provide oversight over state operations — operations at what she calls the two “most troubled” agencies in state government. The Legislature, Conrad said, created the inspector general offices in the wake of scandals over the past decade.

After being verbally slammed by Conrad during testimony, Hilgers spoke in favor of her bill, which surprised several members of the Government Committee. Hilgers said that the clause in state law concerning legal opinions from the AG is an “anomaly” and can make “a significant mess of things.” He added that his opinions are nonbinding.

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