The Nebraska Legislature continues to debate the rules under which it will operate this year, but so far it’s been limited to minor proposed changes despite Speaker John Arch’s insistence he will move on to other matters after Friday.
Senator Steve Erdman of Bayard, chair of the Rules Committee and author of some of the sweeping [proposed changes, has accused supporters of filibusters of deliberately trying to run out the clock on Arch’s deadline
Senator Danielle Conrad, one of those who engaged in a season-long filibuster last year against a gender-affirmation bill, says Erdman himself was responsible for the drawn-out debate on rules.
Conrad says those “in the minority or progressive or moderate kind of political ideological camps” don’t have the power to set the agenda and that it’s Erdman who’s introduced what she calls “a copious amount of rules changes” for debate.
Among the most controversial changes introduced by Erdman are making it easier to cut off debate, ending secret ballots for committee chairs, and excluding the media from committee executive sessions.
Speaker Arch has said debate on the most controversial rules changes will begin after Gov. Jim Pillen delivers his state of the state speech tomorrow morning.