FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2015
CONTACT: Tyler Richard, (402) 476-8091 x104, trichard@aclunebraska.org
Lincoln, Neb - On Friday the ACLU of Nebraska sent a letter to the Hall County Board of Supervisors warning them that an "emergency meeting" called for today violates the Nebraska Open Meetings Act. The ACLU sent the letter in response to citizen complaints received by the ACLU indicating that the short notice for the meeting would not allow appropriate time for public comment.
Statement from Danielle Conrad, Executive Director
The ACLU of Nebraska is committed to ensuring government, including county governments, are accountable and transparent to its citizens. Our office has received numerous citizen complaints about the highly unusual actions of the Hall County Board of Supervisors in setting a meeting this afternoon to lobby on the death penalty. County officials are welcome to engage in the political process as they see fit, but they are not entitled to break or bend local regulations in how they call public meetings or expend public resources, whether at the behest of the governor or anyone else. Due to the extremely short notice given to the public for this meeting, the Board will be in violation of state law if it conducts business today.
