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Storer said the pilot targets rural challenges: “many counties … face long travel distances” to regional centers, and officers often spend hours or more transporting people in crisis. The bill would permit a county to use a secured room within a facility that already provides secured access (for example, a justice center) as a non‑incarcerative space for clinical evaluation and telemedicine or in‑person treatment while a regional placement is arranged.

Attorney General Mike Hilgers told the committee the pilot is a “Nebraska based solution” that could produce “wins” for individuals, law enforcement, communities and the criminal justice system by reducing long transports and providing quicker stabilization. Police chiefs, county officials and EMS representatives supported the bill as a practical response to scarce inpatient capacity in rural areas and the operational burden on small agencies.

Opponents focused narrowly on the bill’s remote‑hearing and telemedicine language. Spike Eicholt (Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association) said the bill was “silent as to when the video conferencing can be used,” and that public defenders and appointed counsel needed safeguards and objection rights to protect clients who may be low‑functioning, paranoid, or unable to interact effectively by video. The Nebraska State Bar Association also asked that the bill include explicit procedural protections for remote hearings and said the rulebook adopted for court video hearings should guide any telehearing expansion.

Other witnesses raised concerns about the possibility facilities might be indistinguishable from jail cells in practice. A licensed counselor said care must not feel like incarceration and urged robust staffing, clinical oversight and non‑punitive settings. Senator Storer and the attorney general said the bill’s language is intended to allow “warm, safe spaces” and telemedicine access; they offered to work with the bar and defense counsel to tighten hearing procedures and guardrails.

Next steps: Committee members and stakeholders signaled a willingness to refine telehearing language, to clarify that the pilot is not intended to incarcerate people or expand law‑enforcement powers, and to resolve funding sources for the pilot.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Judiciary Committee - Room 1525 3/29/2025, 2:30:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","LB386 would fund a pilot allowing a county law‑enforcement agency to add mental‑health beds within or adjacent to a secure local facility to reduce long transports from rural counties; supporters called it a rural solution, opponents raised due‑process and procedural concerns about video hearing provisions.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NE, Nebraska","taxId",77675,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099099,"NDOT-backed LB600 would allow work‑zone speed cameras, variable speed limits and expanded move‑over authority",280,5694000,5974000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e&start=5694&end=5974","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e/thumbnail_5694000.jpg","/articles/6099099/Nebraska/NDOT-backed-LB600-would-allow-workzone-speed-cameras-variable-speed-limits-and-expanded-moveover-authority","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099099-8151f4e5cafb9906409d8f4f13c4b0ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770817565&Signature=FbNC1fI-WX~Hn6NnV181908i4DpTrOKm-6DgVdB5tHnP9niAHEX6TaIU9PVnqK-opDIAQuuJ6pcDMC9Bf180dMrRHO5w42W1bUhOz5theHx-SdmENNKmsYQ8m9Afe23Rl5ZCNWOv7q6x9d61LpQzhvBVJPLRaaAFjuaqOIfK~T~FVG4792PbKF9-wLPhKdU8cSNhwQf2gmyrtWtTHFdnTuJTWe4eCL0ZTNGDYy3ybr9yxUSOg4GdQcLPalqEc1n-0OmaRpo1sQnw3ID8P1u8KcLPRDNrO1sUJoLno~SqyolW9KR6g2dmPqoEbDyOb10NdBIlYA9hjtF~Q1KKyxzlow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Wendy DeBoer introduced LB600, a Department of Transportation‑backed highway‑safety package that would authorize speed‑control enforcement systems in temporary work zones and allow NDOT to use variable speed limits under specified hazardous conditions.

DeBoer described the bill as “ensuring our roadways are safe for those traveling and for those working on our roads,” and detailed four elements: temporary speed cameras for work zones, permanent cameras for school crossing zones tied to warning lights, NDOT authority to remove roadway debris in emergencies, and a variable speed limit authority limited to downward adjustments when weather or road conditions reduce safety.

Vikki Kramer, director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation, testified in support and cited national statistics. Kramer said, “Driving is the most dangerous activity your constituents will do on an average day,” and that data show speed cameras and variable limits can reduce fatal and injury crashes. Kramer and NDOT proposed guardrails in the bill, including signed notifications, a warning for the first violation and administrative civil penalties for subsequent violations. A Department attorney said the proposal is modeled on programs in other states and emphasized the bill’s consumer‑privacy guardrails and the limited scope of enforcement to work or school zones.

Proponents from contractors, highway engineers and AAA testified that cameras and variable limits are proven countermeasures for work‑zone and intersection safety. Opponents, including the ACLU and county law enforcement, raised due‑process and vendor‑data retention concerns similar to testimony in the red‑light bill hearings. Kearney Police Chief Bryan Waugh and the Nebraska Sheriffs Association urged caution about data sharing and the risk of diminishing law‑enforcement access to ALPR systems used in criminal investigations.

Key technical clarifications from the hearing: NDOT’s proposal used an 11‑mph‑over threshold for camera enforcement in work zones and a 6‑mph‑over threshold in school crossing zones when the warning lights are active; the first camera‑detected infraction would be a warning, with civil penalties for repeat violations. Kramer said the policy is intended to change driver behavior rather than raise revenue.

Next steps: Committee members asked about data retention, vendor contracts, and whether NDOT or law enforcement would administer enforcement and notices. No committee vote was taken; the department and stakeholders indicated willingness to refine contract and privacy protections.","LB600 would authorize speed‑control cameras in highway work zones and school crossing zones, permit temporary variable speed limits under specified conditions, allow NDOT limited authority to remove roadway debris, and expand move‑over requirements to more stopped vehicles.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099103,"Debate over automated enforcement: LB616 would allow license‑plate readers for red‑light enforcement with civil penalties",2369,2125000,4494000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e&start=2125&end=4494","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e/thumbnail_2125000.jpg","/articles/6099103/Nebraska/Debate-over-automated-enforcement-LB616-would-allow-licenseplate-readers-for-redlight-enforcement-with-civil-penalties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099103-a50514d363874d3f16b46fc53cf967c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770817565&Signature=AjPM4RrK2RKXGRrOBGjSf98nViHA2NLAeFZdl8wq8CgrwoRkbA8GUUfP40-9-B9dZHNhG8s-JQjAY6m1mMXWa0-XCZFy3IYpaIa836naTozV-eIovo1LfZsEIaN04OMbDtgCZx5h9bBRfgWm1EEeu6jlGcysf6OSSThs9hkkvSrfYez-S9jqvabgy5ztRcEdT0S3Zffo5IKDoq4g4JlqwD1QPmSd-Op0H-Wk3gM3nAOg-3gEfCKWek16YiMHNdev8eyfDamcFEn01jlwMXMwe8m0Ux~Fv-XgpO1pIT4sTSoXsEEYRgHtfOlsHmiU~dvxCJSrCz73ANBB1wusJ~paXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator John Kavanaugh introduced LB616 as an effort to allow automated red‑light enforcement that avoids criminal penalties, saying he wanted a “non criminal infraction, if possible” to address due‑process concerns the Nebraska Supreme Court has raised about photographic enforcement.

Under Kavanaugh’s proposal, automatic license‑plate readers would be used only for this enforcement and violations would lead to a civil fee or a required driver safety program. “No points would be assessed, and no warrant would be issued for a violation,” he told the committee, and the bill would not result in points against a driver’s license.

Proponents testified about traffic safety and crash reductions. Tim Adams, a roadway safety professional, said red‑light running “is one of the leading causes of urban crashes” and pointed to research his testimony described as showing fatal‑crash reductions in jurisdictions that used photo enforcement. Julie Harris of Bike Walk Nebraska urged cameras as an equitable way to enforce safety laws and reduce fatalities for vulnerable road users.

Opponents included Spike Eicholt for the ACLU of Nebraska and the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association. Eicholt said Nebraska case law treats traffic infractions as criminal and that “the ACLU has significant concerns about those … companies, the contracts that they have currently in the state, how they harvest and collect and sell that data.” He also said the state’s uniform citation and court‑process rules require criminal procedural protections that the automated approach would bypass.

Law‑enforcement witnesses also opposed the bill, warning that diverting license‑plate reader systems to routine traffic enforcement risks undercutting law‑enforcement use of the same systems for investigations. Bryan Waugh of the Kearney Police Department and representatives of Douglas County said the cameras are an important crime‑fighting tool and urged caution about expanding their use.

Why it matters: Supporters said automated enforcement reduces dangerous behaviors and saves lives; opponents said Nebraska’s court precedent and privacy concerns require stronger statutory guardrails and that automated enforcement risks unequal enforcement and data‑harvesting by private vendors.

What’s next: Committee discussion focused on due‑process questions, vehicle‑owner liability for violations, and technology reliability. No committee vote was taken during the hearing.","Sen. Kavanaugh’s LB616 would permit automatic license‑plate readers on red‑light cameras and impose a civil fee or driver safety class in lieu of criminal penalties; proponents cited safety gains, opponents raised constitutional, privacy and technology concerns.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099106,"Panel debates LB351: proponents urge flexibility for Lincoln Regional Center; counties say mandated bed percentages improved waits",1190,930000,2120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e&start=930&end=2120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e/thumbnail_930000.jpg","/articles/6099106/Nebraska/Panel-debates-LB351-proponents-urge-flexibility-for-Lincoln-Regional-Center-counties-say-mandated-bed-percentages-improved-waits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099106-e47d5b0765b78e6ea2c59f49aab02ccd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770817565&Signature=S1ge5ZnmmK20Bz4hvmUZQ50mwcEZzctBIwnoyJlNaOnf0f4cN1bwvonr14iaZYN5zPFvlfcM75kkSLXeXfcC68U9I4db3hosLvQftsAV4ASN~wNdcSfR082q5OZ6PyRwPMQO~qtmKB4Ixrwu3TSV8JvHCiHZHww9ScYud5nFZbYRULXEo4onKfCc4QC48zHiX6qL2PIc-Cpzjzo7Vfp-4YRMxNl~zgKTLXaScLPWdyesXbI3qjePiILqz~ASgf3yt4Yfz1A~sgGOM4DHnM7iHp0NSyc5fJqDmLUpceL5U4MUO5aqDGRG4qeb5M0womdpEL~1SM0LaoanEHQSCTH~Xg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator John Kavanaugh introduced LB351 as the second bill arising from the legislative mental health capacity study. He said the measure “strikes language in statute relating to priority of admission at the regional centers” and would remove mandated bed percentages that currently limit Health and Human Services’ allocation of beds at the Lincoln Regional Center (LRC).

Kavanaugh backed the recommendation that the LRC’s admissions prioritize public‑safety needs and urged removing rigid percentages that were written into law in 2022. He said the consultants recommended giving the regional center “flexibility to optimize its capacity and improve patient outcome based on current needs rather than being constrained by statutory requirements.”

Opponents included Brad Johnson, director of Lancaster County Corrections, who testified on behalf of his county and department. Johnson said LB921 (2022) and the minimum bed requirements played a major role in reducing unacceptable wait times for people ordered to the regional center. He urged the committee not to “undo the success of LB921,” citing a drop in local average wait times from very high figures to about 33.75 days after the 2022 law and state DHHS payments that reduced county costs.

Patrick Bridal (Region 5 Systems Behavioral Health Authority, speaking for regional administrators) said regional systems rely on access to LRC beds and warned reductions in statutory access risked limiting community hospitals’ ability to transfer patients in crisis. Bridal recounted decades of legislative shifts moving Nebraska from a more institutional model toward community‑based care and said guaranteed access to beds in LRC remained important to regions.

Why it matters: Supporters of statutory flexibility argued removing percentages would let LRC prioritize patients dynamically and avoid holding reserved beds unused while people wait in county jails. Opponents said bed allocations were a proven tool that helped reduce county jail waits and any rollback could lengthen stays for people ordered to treatment.

Next steps: Committee questions focused on how to balance flexibility with guaranteed access. No committee vote was taken at the hearing.","LB351 would remove statutory bed‑allocation percentages at Lincoln Regional Center to give the Department of Health and Human Services more flexibility; county corrections and regional authorities opposed the change, saying statutory minimums reduced wait times.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099108,"Sen. Kavanaugh backs shorter competency and commitment timelines in LB350",694,228000,922000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e&start=228&end=922","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821504-02ead2b433a559de3688350076627a1e/thumbnail_228000.jpg","/articles/6099108/Nebraska/Sen-Kavanaugh-backs-shorter-competency-and-commitment-timelines-in-LB350","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099108-c346752710224be8aeda2c61464d3b9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770817565&Signature=TqAXpEf5K13Hkgl7wmyqWXnh8SPrcpOMg7cchVvlFJu9M7hMvKIVxx-HSJpMaFDKhleBRKOWamE8C0nLeWkg~ey7LzmVpEGDHyCGZzX8133Qlfskn0mHU9EgF6-pgrEJLz-DneyBQVQUiD7fIAEnzPLqVk0y0OsWwIcagADsaoZMTiEJ9DFdobVnLwqyiYDDqlXJCHIJ0OV0~fAtJY0U7OFrCVw9xAkxbBzNw9noXa0HDfLXne-0b5RTXBR~m6WnOtuVdZ2X1ZQCnr~PGJYJQb0yNkdHLxTQRbMNBCFbNJaNnPFE0uYifVegRxJd1Ov-8Cf1nSymxSlyWxf0TrA5dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator John Kavanaugh of Omaha introduced LB350 on behalf of the Legislative Mental Health Care Capacity Strategic Planning Committee, asking the Judiciary Committee to shorten statutory deadlines for court hearings tied to competency and civil commitment.

Kavanaugh said the bill “reduces the time for a commitment hearing to 5 days after a report is filed, and similarly reduces the time for competency hearing to 5 days after an order is entered,” and that those deadlines were taken from consultant recommendations in the committee’s recent report.

The bill follows the planning committee’s work begun under LB921 and a consultant report distributed to the committee. Kavanaugh said the change is intended to “improve communication and try to reduce the opportunity for delay, which contributes to over extension of capacity.”

Defense and civil‑liberties advocates and public defenders acknowledged the backlog at the state’s regional centers but urged caution about whether five days is realistic. Spike Eichol, appearing for the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association and the ACLU of Nebraska, told the committee the organization supported “section 1, the competency timeline,” and described long jail wait lists and regional center backlogs that earlier statutes tried to address.

Eichol said past legislative changes shortened some deadlines and that the state has seen improvements but “it’s still a problem. There’s still a waiting list issue.” Several senators asked whether operational or logistical changes — for example, allowing telehearings — should be considered alongside any statutory deadline changes. Kavanaugh said he was open to telehearings as an option but not as a required procedure.

Why it matters: Committee members and witnesses said quicker court processing could reduce the time people wait in county jails for restoration or evaluation, freeing limited regional center beds and reducing jail burdens. Opponents urged the committee to weigh realistic capability of evaluators and courts to produce reports within much shorter windows.

What’s next: The hearing record includes submitted proponent and opponent statements. The committee did not vote at the hearing; the bill remains before the Judiciary Committee for further review.","A Judiciary Committee hearing on LB350 focused on shrinking statutory deadlines for competency and commitment hearings to five days, prompted by backlog at regional mental health centers and long waits in county jails.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Attorney General and law‑enforcement groups back LB386 pilot; bar groups and defense counsel warn about telehearing safeguards

NDOT-backed LB600 would allow work‑zone speed cameras, variable speed limits and expanded move‑over authority

Debate over automated enforcement: LB616 would allow license‑plate readers for red‑light enforcement with civil penalties

Panel debates LB351: proponents urge flexibility for Lincoln Regional Center; counties say mandated bed percentages improved waits

Sen. Kavanaugh backs shorter competency and commitment timelines in LB350