Senator Tom Brewer
43rd District
02-01-2019

The inscription in the stone above the North door of the Nebraska State Capitol reads;

The salvation of the State is watchfulness in the citizen.

The cornerstone of our Unicameral State Legislature is public transparency. When compared to other States, our rules do have far more opportunities for the public to be involved; to be “watchful” of our legislature. Lately I have been given reason to question this. I wonder how we can expect the citizens to be watchful. I wonder how the citizens are supposed to play their role as the “2nd House.” How can they be the check and balance on our Unicameral they are supposed to be if the truth is hidden from them?

For example, the first day of the session for brand new legislatures (which last 2 years) 14 Standing Committee Chairs are elected, among other positions. Committee chairmen have the ultimate power in our Unicameral. This is one of the most important votes a Senator can cast, and yet it is done by secret ballot and hidden from the public.

Every single bill (739 this session) receives a public hearing under our Unicameral system. Citizens, lobbyists and interest groups can “testify” at the hearing. The problem is this hearing is not a courtroom. The people who testify are not under oath. There are no penalties for perjury (lying to the Committee.) Consequently, we see what happened this week in the hearing when I introduced LB 373. Some citizens, lobbyists and interest groups who testified in opposition to my bill probably misspoke and made an honest mistake by providing false information. Unfortunately, I know some of them knowingly deceived the committee members and lied in their testimony.

How is the public supposed to perform their role as the 2nd House and be watchful citizens of their State government if they cannot expect to hear the truth in a bill hearing? How can Senators on the committee rely on the information presented at the hearing to make informed decisions about the policy they are expected to legislate?

Bills should stand or fall on their own merits. Testimony in bill hearings should enlighten and expand knowledge and understanding. Senators should be able to accurately judge what a bill really does and rely on what they are told in hearings. Integrity cannot be taken, only given away, and once gone, it is lost forever. I will continue to take my oath seriously and uphold the highest standards where the truth is its own reward.

Please contact my office with any comments, questions or concerns. Email me at; tbrewer@leg.ne.gov. Mail a letter to; Sen. Tom Brewer, Room #1423, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509 or call us at (402) 471-2628.