Nebraska Administrative Code Topic - ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISCLOSURE COMMISSION

26 Jun 2025 --
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Overview of Nebraska Administrative Code – Accountability and Disclosure Commission (NADC)

The NADC is responsible for ensuring transparency and ethical conduct among public officials, candidates, lobbyists, and political committees. Key areas governed by NAC include:

Financial Disclosure

Public officials and candidates must disclose income, assets, liabilities, and conflicts of interest.

Campaign Finance Reporting

Political committees and candidates must report contributions, expenditures, and debts.

Limits exist on contributions and requirements for timely reporting.

Lobbyist Registration and Reporting

Lobbyists must register with the Commission and report expenditures and lobbying activity.

Ethics and Conduct

Officials cannot use public office for personal gain or engage in activities that create conflicts of interest.

Enforcement and Penalties

The Commission investigates complaints, holds hearings, imposes fines, and can refer cases for criminal prosecution.

Detailed Case Examples

Case 1: Failure to File Financial Disclosure

Scenario: A state senator failed to submit their annual financial disclosure report by the deadline.

NAC Application: NAC rules require timely filing to ensure transparency and public accountability.

Outcome: The Commission issued a formal warning and imposed a monetary fine. The senator submitted the overdue report, and compliance measures were implemented to avoid repeat violations.

Case 2: Campaign Finance Reporting Violation

Scenario: A candidate for state office did not report contributions received from a political action committee (PAC) within the required reporting period.

NAC Application: NAC sections on campaign finance reporting require disclosure of all contributions and expenditures within specific deadlines.

Outcome: The Commission fined the candidate, required corrective filings, and provided training on proper reporting procedures.

Case 3: Improper Use of Public Office for Personal Gain

Scenario: A public official directed state contracts to a company partially owned by their family members.

NAC Application: NAC rules prohibit conflicts of interest and personal gain from official actions.

Outcome: The Commission found a violation, issued fines, and required the official to recuse themselves from future contract decisions involving family-owned businesses.

Case 4: Lobbyist Fails to Register

Scenario: A lobbyist engaged in multiple meetings with legislators but did not register with the NADC as required.

NAC Application: NAC rules require lobbyists to register and report lobbying activities to maintain transparency.

Outcome: The lobbyist was fined, registered retroactively, and instructed on ongoing reporting requirements. Repeat violations could lead to criminal referral.

Case 5: Campaign Contribution Limit Exceeded

Scenario: A candidate accepted contributions from a single donor that exceeded legal limits.

NAC Application: NAC sets limits on contributions to prevent undue influence in elections.

Outcome: The Commission required the candidate to return the excess funds, fined the candidate, and mandated reporting changes to ensure compliance.

Case 6: Disclosure of Gifts and Benefits

Scenario: A state official accepted gifts from a lobbyist without reporting them as required.

NAC Application: NAC rules require officials to disclose gifts over a certain value to avoid conflicts of interest.

Outcome: The official was fined and instructed to disclose all prior gifts. Policies were reinforced to ensure proper documentation of all gifts in the future.