LAWMAKER CALLED TO RESIGN FOR INVOKING COLLEAGUE'S NAME WHILE READING A RAPE SCENE DURING DEBATE, CENSURE RESOLUTION FILED

LINCOLN- A Nebraska legislative debate about keeping obscenity out of K-12 schools ended abruptly after a lawmaker, while reading a book passage about an explicit rape scene, invoked a colleague’s name into the reading. State Sen. Steve Halloran, during debate on LB441, warned state senators and those watching the livestream of legislative proceedings that he would be quoting from the hearing testimony on the bill. LB441, State Sen. Joni Albrecht’s priority bill, seeks to crack down on obscenity and pornography in K-12 schools.

One person testifying at the March 24, 2023, hearing on LB 441 read passages from a book entitled “Lucky,” by Alice Sebold, which includes a graphic description of a rape Sebold survived in college. While reading the testimony, Halloran inserted the name “Sen. Cavanaugh” at the end of select sentences about the sexual assault. He didn’t specify which Cavanaugh he was referring to.

Multiple senators called for Halloran's resignation. It was discussed on the floor of the legislature the following day and no immediate action was taken. “That was so out of line and unnecessary and disgusting to say my name over and over again like that,” Machaela Cavanaugh said.

On Wednesday, just days after the incident, Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh filed a legislative resolution calling for the censure of Sen. Halloran, arguing that a legislative investigation launched the day prior would not adequately address the issue. The censure motion, housed in a legislative resolution, would allow for a public hearing to be held on the matter, during which the public would be able to air their concerns or complaints.

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