LINCOLN- Sen. Erdman's LB1169, which would end 146 years of History Nebraska independence, advanced through its first round of debate on a 27-1 vote. The bill would turn the independent agency into a code agency, giving the governor full control. Erdman argued that the change was necessary to restore trust and confidence in the state historical society after Trevor Jones, the agency's former director, was charged with diverting donations into a private foundation.

Erdman, along with Sen. Tom Brewer, cited support for the bill from Roger Lempke, the former adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard and current president of the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation. Lempke had testified on LB1169, saying that the agency had become "very closed and uncommunicative" while Jones served as director.

Sen. Danielle Conrad was the sole 'no' vote on the bill. She questioned whether converting History Nebraska to a code agency run by the governor would really solve some of these problems. "Some of our most troubled agencies in state government are code agencies," said Conrad during debate over LB1169.

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