Source: http://legislative.ncsa.org/nebraska-unicameral/committee-structure-nebraska-legislature?mini=2019-02
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 09:07:55+00:00

Document:
+++++Not unlike other state legislatures, the Nebraska Legislature utilizes a variety of committees to handle the business of the body. There are fourteen "standing committees," four "select committees," and presently five "special committees." Each standing committee (e.g., the Appropriations Committee) has a particular subject-matter jurisdiction and all bills and constitutional resolutions relating to that subject matter are assigned to that committee. Select Committees (e.g., the Committee on Committees) are generally those committees that help to facilitate the legislative process with little direct involvement in specific public policy issues. Special committees (e.g., the Executive.Board) are more or less administrative in nature and are established by statute with the assignment of specific duties.
+++++Generally, all committees are authorized to hold hearings, to meet as needed, to require the attendance of witnesses and production of evidence as deemed necessary. All committees may investigate any matter within its jurisdiction and may present for consideration any final reports and recommendations for action resulting from such investigations.1 Aside these general guidelines, there are some very distinguishable differences among the three categories of committees and among individual committees within these categories as will be explored in the following sections.
+++++It is important to note that before 1973, all committee chairpersons were nominated by the Committee on Committees and approved by the Legislature.2 This resulted, however, in an unusually high number of committee chairpersons being selected from the membership of the Committee on Committees itself. At one time, in order to aspire to become a chairperson of a standing committee, for instance, meant first becoming a member of the Committee on Committees. In 1973, the Rules of the Legislature were amended to require at large elections of all leadership positions. This permitted a fair election process where all members could participate in the selection of committee leaders.
+++++Chairpersons. Like other legislative bodies, the position of committee chairperson is seen as a very important role since the views of these individuals could shape the future of state policy. All at large elections for committee chairpersons are conducted by secret ballot. Before the ballot is taken, each person nominated may make a public statement to the body indicating what may be expected from him or her if elected. In most cases, however, candidates for such positions usually highlight their length of service in the Legislature, to indicate their knowledge of the legislative process, and perhaps their occupational experience in a certain area, which indicates their expertise in the subject matter of the committee.3 It is not unusual for members of the Legislature to campaign or at least make known their intent to run. It is considered appropriate, but certainly not required, for a senator wishing to run for a particular chairmanship to place a letter on file with the Clerk of the Legislature indicating his or her intentions.
To call the committee together at the regular or appointed time and place.
To arrange for the publication of meeting notices.
To preside over meetings of the committee.
To maintain order and decide all questions of order.
To supervise and direct all clerical and other employees of the committee.
To prepare or supervise, in consultation with the committee, the schedule of public hearings to be held by the committee.
To prepare or supervise the preparation of a written agenda for all committee meetings.
To prepare or supervise the preparation of interim study proposals necessary to properly carry out the committee's business, in consultation with the committee.
To conduct or supervise the conduct of all studies assigned by the legislature, and all studies necessary to properly carry out the committee's business, and to insure proper documentation of all studies conducted.
To prepare or supervise the preparation of written reports on all interim studies assigned the committee by the legislature, and on all committee studies in which testimony or information was secured by subpoena.
To prepare or supervise the preparation of committee reports and committee statements and submit them to the legislature.
To have custody and insure the security of all bills, resolutions, papers and other documents referred or submitted to the committee, to keep all committee materials separate and distinct from personal materials, to make all committee materials available to committee members at reasonable times, and to transmit committee materials to the appropriate repository when the committee is finished with them.
To insure that all activities of the committee are carried out in accordance with the rules of the legislature and the rules of the committee.
+++++There are currently 14 standing committees of the Nebraska Legislature. Standing committees range in composition from five to nine members. The table below lists the current standing committees along with committees that once existed but are now defunct.
+++++Appropriations Committee. The Appropriations Committee is the only standing committee comprised of nine members.8 It is also the only standing committee that meets every day of the week during the public hearing phase of the legislative process. Therefore, with the exception of the Chairperson, members of the Appropriations Committee are not allowed to serve on any other standing committee, except the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee.
+++++No other standing committee is cited in state law as many times as the Appropriations Committee, and there are numerous duties prescribed for the Committee in statute in relation to various programs and state agencies. For instance, state law requires the Committee to annually include in the state budget the amount necessary to fund the state aid formula under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA).12 Other duties and responsibilities of the Committee, particularly in relation to the budget process, are discussed in later sections.
+++++The Nebraska Legislature utilizes five special committees, the most well known of these is the Executive.Board. With the exception of the Executive.Board, special committees do not usually have jurisdiction over legislative bills and resolutions but are still subject to the same procedural rules as other committees.26 Special committees are normally created by statute rather than legislative rule. However, for the 2001 Session, the Legislature created a special committee by rule for the purpose of redistricting.
+++++Building Maintenance Committee. It is the responsibility of the Executive.Board of the Legislature to appoint the six member special committee on Building Maintenance.27 The purpose of the committee is to exercise oversight of the deferred and preventive maintenance activities for state operated buildings, including the Capitol. The selection of members is made on the basis of maintenance interest and knowledge. At least two members must be selected from the Committee on Appropriations, one of whom must be the chairperson.
+++++Education Commission of the States. The special committee on the Education Commission of the States is comprised of three appointed members of the Legislature who are selected by the Executive.Board.28 In addition, the Governor may appoint three other representatives who are not members of the Legislature. The Education Commission of the States (ECS) is a nonprofit organization designed to bring state leaders together to discuss education issues. ECS also provides state legislatures with a variety of research materials to help direct education policy decisions.
+++++The Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Cooperation represents half of the Nebraska Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation, which is composed of ten regular members (five from the Legislature's committee and five individuals appointed by the Governor).
+++++Legislative Program Evaluation Committee. This five-member Committee is comprised of the Chairperson of the Executive.Board, the Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee, and three other members of the Legislature chosen by the Executive.Board.31 The Committee is designed to meet as needed for the purpose of selecting programs to be evaluated, approving scope statements and evaluation plans for program evaluation projects, reviewing completed program evaluation reports, and conducting public hearings.
+++++Executive.Board. The Executive.Board consists of a Chairperson, a Vice chairperson, and six members of the Legislature, to be chosen by the Legislature at the commencement of each 90-day session of the Legislature. In addition, the Speaker serves as a voting member of the Executive.Board. The Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee also serves on the Executive.Board but in an ex officio (nonvoting) capacity whenever the board is considering fiscal administration.
+++++The first Unicameral Legislature also created an "Executive.Board of the Legislative Council" (often shortened to "Executive.Board") in order to manage the administrative affairs of the body.34 The Executive.Board is one of five "Special Committees" of the Legislature and is truly unique among all the legislative committees. It is the only committee in which both the chairperson and vice chairperson are elected at large by the whole body. All other committees elect their own vice chairperson from among their individual memberships. The distinctiveness of electing both the vice chairperson by at large election is due, in part, to the level of importance associated with the Board. In the event the chairperson is unable to fulfill the duties of the office, the body reserves the authority to select his or her replacement, thus the at large election of both individuals.
+++++In addition to the Chairperson and Vice chairperson, other voting members of the Board include the Speaker and six members (two members elected from each of the three caucuses). The Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee serves as a nonvoting ex officio member whenever the Board is considering fiscal issues. All voting members of the Board are considered officers of the Legislature and serve two-year terms of office.
+++++The Executive.Board manages seven different, yet interrelated, offices that provide services to the Legislature. These offices include the Office of the Clerk of the Legislature, the Accounting Office, the Coordinator of Legislative Services, the Revisor of Statutes, the Legislative Research Division, the Ombudsman, and the Legislative Fiscal Analysts Office.36 All such offices provide important services and support to senators and the legislative process in general. Several of these offices are explored below and others in later sections.
+++++Committee on Committees. As noted earlier in this document, the members of the Committee on Committees carry a particularly crucial role in the legislative process: selection of members on other committees. The Committee on Committees is expected to provide fair geographic representation on each committee under its auspices, including all standing committees.
+++++This position is perhaps one of the few chairs that is not highly sought by members of the Legislature since it requires an ongoing diligence and awareness of the legislative process. The E&R Chair is responsible for procedurally "moving" for the adoption of E&R amendments to every bill or resolution at every stage of the legislative process. E&R amendments are technical amendments proposed by the Revisor of Statutes (bill drafters) in order to ensure accuracy in punctuation, citations, grammar, spelling, etc. It is not an uncommon sight during a session to witness the presiding officer and the E&R Chair in a continuous, almost mundane, back-and-forth effort to request and receive motions to adopt E&R amendments to facilitate the legislative process.
+++++Rules Committee. Some of the most heated debates during a legislative session can at times occur before even the first real legislative bill is debated. Since rules drive the legislative process, rules are of a particular interest to legislators. The Rules Committee is comprised of six members. The Chairperson is elected at large by the Legislature, the Speaker serves as an ex officio member, and four other members are selected by the Committee on Committees.
+++++Any member of the Legislature may submit a proposed rule modification. All proposed rule changes are set for public hearing within five legislative days after their referral to the Rules Committee. The hearing takes place within fifteen legislative days after the referral, and the committee must take final action on the proposal within ten legislative days after the hearing.40 If the Rules Committee, by majority vote, approves any submitted recommendations, then the same are forwarded to the legislative body for consideration.
1 NEB. RULES OF THE LEG. Rule 3, § 1(a).
2 Bothum, Comer, and Sittig, "Committee Assignments in the Nebraska Legislature," 70.
7 Legislative Research Division, "Breakdown of Assignment to Committees," LRD 89-25 (September 1989), 29.
8 NEB. RULES OF THE LEG. Rule 3, § 3(a).
9 Legislative Research Division, "Breakdown of Assignment to Committees," LRD 89-25 (September 1989), 29.
10 NEB. RULES OF THE LEG. Rule 8, § 2.
11 Id., Rule 8, § 7.
12 NEB. REV. STAT. § 79-1031.01.
13 Legislative Research Division, "Breakdown of Assignment to Committees," LRD 89-25 (September 1989), 30.
14 Legislative Research Division, "Breakdown of Assignment to Committees," 30.
21 NEB. REV. STAT. § 50-416.01.
22 Legislative Research Division, "Breakdown of Assignment to Committees," 34.
23 NEB. REV. STAT. § 77-2715.01(2).
24 Legislative Research Division, "Breakdown of Assignment to Committees," 34.
26 NEB. RULES OF THE LEG. Rule 3, § 5(a).
27 NEB. REV. STAT. § 81-185.
29 Id., §§ 81-816 to 81-824.
32 NEB. REV. STAT. § 50-401.
37 NEB. RULES OF THE LEG. Rule 3, § 4(a).
38 Id., Rule 3, § 4(d).
39 Id., Rule 3, § 4(e).
40 Id., Rule 3, § 4(f).
41Id., Rule 3, § 4(g).

References: § 1
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 § 79
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