Hey Kids!
Click on Mr. Bill to test your legislative knowledge with the Unicam Kids Quiz!

• How many hours must you attend school?

• On which side of the road should you ride your bicycle?

• Is your cat or dog required to have shots for rabies?

The answers to these questions are determined by "rules" or laws that people must follow. These "rules" are created by lawmakers in your state Legislature who are called senators. They make laws only for Nebraska.

Every other state has two legislative houses - a house and a senate. Nebraska is unique because it has just one legislative house called a Unicameral Legislature. Before 1937, Nebraska had two houses. An amendment to the state constitution that was started by a group of citizens and placed on voting ballots in 1934 changed Nebraska’s two-house system to a one-house system.

People supporting the idea of a Unicameral Legislature said it would be less expensive to operate than a two-house system, easier for people to understand and more open and accountable to the public. People continue to support a one-house system in Nebraska today for those same reasons.

Another unique part of Nebraska’s Legislature is that it is nonpartisan. All other states elect representatives based on political party affiliation. In Nebraska, candidates for the Legislature are not identified on election ballots as Democrats, Republicans, Independents or as belonging to any other political party.

There are 49 senators in the Nebraska Legislature. Each senator represents one district which has about 32,200 people living in it. You live in one of these 49 districts.

Senators are elected by citizens and serve four-year terms. No more than half of the Legislature is up for election or re-election every two years. To be a state senator, you must be at least 21 years old, have lived in your district for one year and be a registered voter.

The Nebraska Legislature is a citizen legislature, which means most of its members have other careers or jobs in addition to serving as a state senator. Senators receive $12,000 a year for serving in the Legislature.

Our Legislature meets once each year. It meets for 60 days in even-numbered years and 90 days in odd-numbered years. Since passage of a constitutional amendment in 1974, every annual session of the Legislature has started at 10 a.m. on the first Wednesday following the first Monday in January.

Sometimes, senators are called back to the capitol in Lincoln for what are known as "special sessions," held between regular sessions to handle emergencies.

The Legislature has committees, or small groups of senators, that review proposed laws and study issues. Every bill introduced in the Legislature has a public hearing. Public hearings give citizens and others the chance to present their opinions about proposed laws. Those opinions help senators decide whether laws should be passed, and if so, what the laws should say.

There are 14 standing committees that meet regularly during session and take action on bills presented to them. There also are select and special committees that handle issues not covered by other committees.

When you visit the legislative chamber in the state capitol, among the people you will see are the Lieutenant Governor, the Clerk of the Legislature and the Sergeant-At-Arms.

• The Lieutenant Governor serves as president of the Legislature and presides over daily legislative activity.
• The Clerk of the Legislature is responsible for recording legislative activity, counting votes and administrative tasks.
• The Sergeant at Arms and assistants, commonly called "red coats" because they wear red jackets, are responsible for security on the floor of the Legislature and at public hearings during the session.

Like you, visitors from all over the world come to Nebraska to see the Unicameral Legislature and find out how it works. Other states have considered changing to a one-house legislature, but none have done so.

As a Nebraskan, you are unique because of the Unicameral Legislature and its influence on your life. You may speak or write to your senator, testify at a public hearing or receive information about the legislative process or a specific bill.