Tighter Capitol security, reporting on disabled housing advance in Legislature

By Fred Knapp , Senior Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media

Feb. 24, 2026, 4 p.m. ·

Sen. Victor Rountree speaks Tuesday (Fred Knapp/Nebraska Public Media News) — Sen. Victor Rountree speaks Tuesday. (Fred Knapp/Nebraska Public Media News)

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A bill to restrict weapons and tighten security at the state Capitol advanced in the Legislature Tuesday, and lawmakers moved toward requiring cities to report how many housing units they have that are accessible for disabled people.

Leading off debate Tuesday, Sen. Ben Hansen praised work on the proposal to station security personnel and metal detectors at entrances to the Capitol (LB1237). Under an amendment adopted Monday, people with permits to carry a concealed weapon would still be allowed to bring guns into the Capitol.

“It seems like we're on the right track, of kind of finding that good middle ground between maintaining Capitol security or enhancing it, and also making sure we respect the rights of gun owners in Nebraska,” Hansen said.

Sen. Danielle Conrad raised concerns about the proposal, pointing to the cost estimates contained in the fiscal note on the bill.

“There's a significant fiscal note on this measure that's literally written in the alternative. So we don't even have clarity at this point as to what costs we're committing to,” Conrad said.

The cost estimates range from about $950,000 a year to secure one entrance to the Capitol, to $1.5 million a year for two. Either way, Sen. Mike Moser said, it’s too expensive.

“Spending a million dollars a year to put checkpoints coming into the Capitol, I just think is crazy.,” Moser said. "That's way too much money to spend. It may make you feel more secure, but really, if somebody wants to come in, they're probably going to get in anyway. Checkpoints just keep the polite people from coming in."

But Sen. Jane Raybould said the increased cost would be worthwhile.

“I do support it. I know the fiscal note is daunting in this time of serious budget deficits, but I want to assure the public that this is something that as an elected official, we've been talking about in light of the increased divisiveness that we see in our country, the increase in acts of aggression and violence. It gives all elected officials pause. It certainly worries many of our families,” Raybould said.

Hansen expanded on that point.

“I think Senator Raybould made a good point, that this isn't just about the people in this room and our staff, but it's about all the people outside this room -- all the fourth graders that come through every year, their parents, visitors, people getting tours here every year. I think we are also responsible for their safety as well,” he said.

In addition to guns, the bill as written would prohibit a variety of other items, ranging from explosives to pepper spray. Hansen promised to offer an amendment at the next stage of debate narrowing that list. Senators then voted 37-4 for first-round approval of the bill.

Also Tuesday, senators debated a proposal (LB839) to require cities to report on how many housing units have been built in the last five years that are accessible to disabled people.

Sen. Victor Rountree, sponsor of the bill, said a public hearing had identified a significant problem.

“We heard testimony from many stakeholders saying that there is a distinct lack of units that an individual in a wheelchair could access, and if the physical needs were met, then the cost of the home was often prohibitive,” Rountree said.

Sen. Bob Andersen objected to the state adding a reporting requirement to cities without paying for the increased cost.

"It's an unfunded mandate going down to the cities and counties. If we're going to task and do it, we should be sending money to do it. Unfortunately, we're broke. So for that reason, I rise in in opposition to it,” Andersen said.

Rountree said the city of Lincoln had estimated the additional cost at $5,000, but that was when the reporting requirement stretched back to 1991. Now that it’s been amended to only include the last five years, he said it would be considerably less. And Conrad faulted what she said was selective fiscal conservatism.

“I think it's very clear, very apparent, that members of this body quickly become fiscal conservatives when they're looking at programs that help the poor and the vulnerable. Yet they remain completely unconcerned about issues that actually have huge price tags, like our bloated, ineffective state corporate welfare programs,” she said.

After a little more than an hour of debate, senators voted 29-1 to give the bill first-round approval, with only Andersen opposed.