REQUESTED BY: Dick Hargesheimer, Director of Research

QUESTION: May contributions from corporations be solicited to defray the costs of a symposium for members of the Nebraska Legislature?

CONCLUSION

There is no prohibition under the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act with respect to such corporate contributions, unless the corporations are principals of lobbyists. See Analysis.

FACTS

REQUESTED BY: Senator Rex Haberman, Forty Fourth Legislative District.

QUESTION: May campaign funds be used to purchase a camera so that pictures may be taken of the candidate speaking to service clubs and other groups?

CONCLUSION

Yes.

FACTS

REQUESTED BY: Senator Bernice Labedz, Fifth Legislative District.

QUESTION: Are officers, directors, shareholders, employees or members of a corporation employing a lobbyist considered principals under the Act?

CONCLUSION

See Analysis

FACTS

REQUESTED BY: Kim Robak, Legal Counsel for the Nebraska Democratic Party

QUESTION: Are funds received from a bankcard company by a political party through an "affinity group bankcard concept" contributions from the bankcard company to the political party?

CONCLUSION

No

FACTS

REQUESTED BY: Joe E. Hanna, Secretary, Board of Education, Omaha School District.

QUESTION: (1) If a school board enters into a contract with a corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of that corporation, or a separate entity selling the products of that corporation, does a board member who is the holder of stock in that corporation worth more than $10,000 but which represents less than a 5% equity interest in that corporation have a prohibited interest in the contract between the school board and the corporation?

CONCLUSION

No

FACTS

REQUESTED BY: Calvin H. Gullion, Gage County Clerk

QUESTION: May an elected County Clerk enter into a contract with the county to perform the services of computer manager and receive a salary for such work?

CONCLUSION

Yes

FACTS

REQUESTED BY: Margrethe Ahlschwede, Candidate, Ahlschwede for City Council Committee

QUESTION: Upon the dissolution of a candidate committee may residual campaign funds be distributed to the following: Nebraska Wesleyan University Great Teaching Program; the Lincoln Foundation, for the University Place Arts Center; the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Gifts Trust Fund?

CONCLUSION

Residual campaign funds of a candidate committee being dissolved may so disbursed to any or all of the three above noted entities.

ANALYSIS

REQUESTED BY: Ron A. Metzgar

QUESTION: May the former State Claims and Risk Administrator with the Office of Risk Management, now an employee of an independent consulting firm work on behalf of that firm to secure a consulting contract with the Office of Risk Management?

CONCLUSION

Yes.

ANALYSIS

REQUESTED BY: Richard T. Smith, Gage County Attorney, on behalf of the Gage County Board

QUESTION: 1. May the Gage County Board contract with Mr. Bill Wehling, the elected part-time Gage County Surveyor for engineering services on the Pickrell East Road Project?

2. Must the County go through open public bidding procedures for the contract for Mr. Wehling's professional services?

REQUESTED BY: David L. Kimble on behalf of the Utica Village Board

QUESTION: 1. Under LB548, does an officer whose only interest in a prospective project is that of an employee to a potential bidder have an interest sufficient to invoke the disclosure requirements?

2. Assuming that three members of the five member board are required to disclose and not participate, may those three board members vote anyway, if their not voting would prevent the governing body from securing a quorum?