Legislature debates keeping guns out of Capitol

By Fred Knapp , Senior Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media

Feb. 20, 2026, midnight ·

The west entrance to the Capitol (Fred Knapp, Nebraska Public Media News) — The west entrance to the Capitol. (Fred Knapp, Nebraska Public Media News)

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Metal detectors would be installed and the State Patrol would stop people without permits from bringing guns into the state Capitol, under a bill being debated in the Legislature.

The bill (LB1237) under consideration was unanimously recommended by the Legislature’s internal governing body, the Executive Board. Chairman Ben Hansen explained the idea.

“The goal is to implement appropriate security measures that ensure all Nebraskans can safely enjoy the state capitol and fully participate in the governmental functions that take place here,” Hansen said.

Hansen said Nebraska is one of only four or five states without metal detectors in their capitols.

As introduced, the measure would also prohibit explosives, incendiary, or other combustible devices, hazardous materials, paint or spray paint; knives, brass or iron knuckles, pepper spray, tasers, or stun guns. However, Hansen said he's thinking about an amendment to remove non-lethal devices from that list.

Sen. Stan Clouse supported the bill.

“It's important that we provide the security that we need in this facility," he said. "We have a lot of visitors in this building, third graders, fourth graders, a lot of kids running around. And I think it's important that we have a secured, safe environment."

Sen. Ashlei Spivey said it’s important to protect staff who work in the building.

“The folks that come here are performing an act of service. We make sacrifices every day to represent our communities, to engage in trying to make Nebraska better. We have staff here that come because they want to add value to the political process and what we develop from a policy standpoint. And folks want to go back home,” Spivey said.

Sen. Mike Jacobson compared the lack of security to the lack of protection at an intersection that’s been the scene of many serious accidents.

“The neighbor kept turning it into the city and saying, ‘You need to put stop signs here.’ And the city's position was, ‘We need to wait for somebody to get killed here before we put up a stop sign.’ I thought, ‘Well, that's an interesting litmus test, that somebody has to die in an accident before we take it seriously and put stop signs up.’ And that's kind of what I think is happening here,” Jacobson said.

Sen. Myron Dorn said he had opposed similar measures when he began serving seven years ago, but in today’s political climate, he supports them.

“I think the time has come for the people of the state of Nebraska and particularly the state Capitol, to have some different security measures than what we're used to,” Dorn said.

Sen. Danielle Conrad acknowledged the dangers, including the shooting of two Minnesota legislators last year, but expressed doubt about the proposal.

“Many members of the Executive Board and otherwise who are pushing this forward say, ‘Well, we got to do something. We got to do something because those state senators in another state were shot.’ Yes, that is horrific. (But) they were shot in their homes. They weren't shot when they were doing their business in the Capitol,” Conrad said.

Sen. George Dungan said he’s ambivalent about the bill.

“At the heart of this, I think you're sort of balancing safety with transparency and openness. And one of the things that I've always loved about the Nebraska State Capitol is that it's so open,” Dungan said.

And Sen. Megan Hunt expressed outright opposition.

“I'm not afraid of Nebraskans. I'm not afraid of Nebraskans with guns. I'm not afraid of trans Nebraskans. I'm not afraid of Nebraskans and the way that they vote at the ballot box. I'm not afraid of homeless Nebraskans. I'm not afraid of immigrants, regardless of their legal status. I'm not afraid of people in the balcony who want to throw tampons at me, and I'm not afraid of guns,” Hunt said.

The Executive Board has proposed an amendment that would allow Nebraskans who have concealed weapons permits issued by the State Patrol to carry guns in the Capitol. Sen. Bob Andersen supported that as consistent with the Second Amendment.

“The person that you want in a place that is a person with a CCW (concealed weapons permit). That means they understand they've had training in how to handle a weapon. They know how to shoot a weapon. They understand the laws, and they have to have a background check done so you know that they don't have a criminal background,” Andersen said.

The Legislature adjourned for the day before voting on the measure. Speaker John Arch said debate will resume Monday.