About the “Speak Up Nebraska” Campaign:
In an era where people have more media and content choices than ever, Media of Nebraska feels it is important to remind Nebraskans of the role they can play in shaping how decisions that impact their lives are made by our elected officials. Civic participation is a critical form of free speech, which is a fundamental element of our First Amendment. Our campaign media elements were created, designed and produced by Clark Creative Group of Omaha, Nebraska.
Watch, listen and view our campaign messages.
About Media of Nebraska:
Media of Nebraska is a non-profit 501(c)(6) corporation that was formed in 1977 by members of the broadcast and print media to jointly pursue and protect the public’s interest in freedom of information through open meetings and public records as mandated by the statutes of Nebraska law. Governed by trustees elected from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and the Nebraska Press Association, our work is focused on supporting our member journalists’ task of serving as a watchdog and informational conduit for the citizens of Nebraska by monitoring and acting on legislative matters that may impact freedom of information through state, county and municipal government entities and political subdivisions. Media of Nebraska is a nonpolitical organization and makes no contributions to the campaigns of any person running for any elected office nor to any organized parties that may support or oppose any candidates for elected office or ballot initiatives. Similarly, Media of Nebraska accepts no outside contributions of any kind.
Nebraska Open Meetings Act:
The Nebraska Open Meetings Act (OMA) is a series of state laws designed to promote public policy that government meetings and deliberations are conducted openly. See Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-1408.
The OMA applies to virtually any “public body” in the state under § 84-1409, such as city councils, school boards, county commissions. Among other things, such bodies are required to give reasonable notice to the public of a body’s meetings. See §84-1411. A public body takes formal action only upon a majority vote of its members in open session. See § 84-1413.
The OMA’s primary purpose is to increase public trust in government and ensure that members of the public can observe public bodies’ decision-making process at their meetings. Moreover, the public “has the right to attend and the right to speak at meetings of public bodies.” § 84-1412(1).
Meanwhile, public bodies are permitted to recess from public view to meet in a “close session,” but members of the public have the right to “challenge” the recess. See § 84-1410. According to the Attorney General, the latitude afforded public bodies to conduct a “closed session” has “generated the most controversy of all the portions of the open meetings statutes.”
Although not part of the OMA, public bodies in Nebraska generally are required to publish certain information about their meetings after the fact in a local newspaper. See, e.g., Neb. Rev. Stat. § 19-1102 (cities); § 79-580 (school districts).
See below or click here for a list of relevant open meetings topics, followed by the full text of the law.
Media of Nebraska Officers:
President
Joan von Kampen, North Platte Telegraph joan.vonkampen@nptelegraph.com
Secretary
Jim Timm, Nebraska Broadcasters Association
jim@ne-ba.org
Treasurer
Dennis DeRossett, Nebraska Press Association
dderossett@nebpress.com