Nebraska state senators suspend legislative rules to allow the introduction of a police accountability bill.
Usually, bill introductions are only allowed during the first 10 days of a legislative session in January, but Covid-19 led to a suspension of the session, which has resumed.
Omaha State Senator Justin Wayne says his oversight legislation is “not anti-police, but pro-accountability.”
“I can’t in good faith continue to walk down my community after seeing what happened – after riots broke out in Omaha,” he said.
The proposal would allow citizen police oversight boards to be created in cities with full-time police officers.
Some senators argue it's an issue that needs more study, and time is not available in the remaining days of this session.
Other lawmakers said they would agree to suspend the rules -- but it didn't necessarily mean they support the legislation.
32 of 49 senators voted to suspend the rules. 30 were needed. 4 voted against it.
“The police oversight board is not new,” said Wayne. “Omaha used to have one. From my understanding, Lincoln has one. It’s not a new concept. The bill I’m introducing is not some foreign object that just came in on a comet that will blow your mind. I don’t need 400 hearings across the state to tell me this has worked in other states.”
There could be a committee hearing on LB 1222 next week.
Under the bill, members of the Citizen Police Oversight Board would be selected by the Mayor and City Council of the municipality.