Nebraska Bill Seeks Competitive Bids for Attorney General's Outside Lawyers

Proposal aims to increase transparency in hiring of private legal counsel

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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A Nebraska state senator has introduced a bill that would require the state's attorney general to use competitive bidding before hiring outside lawyers for legal work costing more than $10,000. The proposal has drawn pushback from the attorney general's office, which argues the current process allows for flexibility in hiring specialized legal expertise.

Why it matters

The bill is intended to bring more transparency to the attorney general's use of taxpayer funds to hire private legal counsel. Critics have raised concerns about the potential for favoritism or lack of oversight in the current process of selecting outside lawyers.

The details

The bill, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad, would require the attorney general's office to solicit competitive bids from law firms before hiring outside counsel for any work costing more than $10,000. The attorney general's office has pushed back on the proposal, arguing the current system allows them flexibility to quickly bring in specialized legal expertise as needed.

  • The Nebraska Legislature is currently considering the bill.

The players

Danielle Conrad

A state senator from Lincoln who introduced the bill to require competitive bidding for the attorney general's outside legal counsel.

Nebraska Attorney General's Office

The state agency that has expressed concerns about the bill, arguing the current process provides needed flexibility in hiring specialized legal expertise.

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What they’re saying

“We must bring more transparency to how taxpayer dollars are spent on private legal counsel.”

— Danielle Conrad, State Senator (omaha.com)

“The current system allows us to quickly bring in the right legal expertise as needed.”

— Nebraska Attorney General's Office (omaha.com)

What’s next

The Nebraska Legislature will continue to debate the bill and its potential impact on the attorney general's hiring of outside counsel.

The takeaway

This proposal highlights ongoing debates around transparency and oversight in government legal services, as lawmakers seek to balance flexibility for the attorney general's office with increased public accountability for taxpayer-funded legal work.