List of speakers of the Nebraska Legislature explained

Post:Speaker of the Legislature
Body:Nebraska
Incumbent:John Arch
Incumbentsince:January 4, 2023
Type:Speaker
Member Of:Nebraska Legislature
Termlength:Two years
Formation:1937
First:Charles J. Warner

The speaker of the Nebraska Legislature is the highest-ranking officer elected from among the membership of the Nebraska Legislature. The speaker presides over the body in the absence of the lieutenant governor. The speaker is generally recognized to be the parliamentary leader of the Nebraska Legislature and, with the approval of the executive board, determines the legislative agenda (the order in which bills and resolutions are considered). The speaker has the privilege of speaking at any stage of the legislature's proceedings in accordance with his or her responsibilities as speaker.

The speaker is second in line to become the Governor of Nebraska if both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor become simultaneously vacant.

Before the creation of this office, Nebraska had a bicameral legislature, and the leaders of the upper and lower houses were, respectively, the president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate and the speaker of the Nebraska House of Representatives.

List

The following is a list of the speakers of the Nebraska Legislature since it became a unicameral body in 1937.[1]

ImageNamePartyTenureDistrict City of residenceNotes
1Rep1937–193825 (18)WaverlyLater served as Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska; Father of Jerome Warner, the 18th Speaker; Served during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor from June 26 to Nov. 8, 1938
2Dem1939–194024Gresham
3Rep1941–194244 (39)Sutherland
4Rep1943–194445 (38)North PlatteLater served as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Nebraska
5Rep1945–194629 (20)Lincoln
6Dem1947–194835 (30)Central City
7Rep1949–195015 (11)Fremont
8Rep1951–195238 (33)McCookResigned as senator to accept appointment of Gov. Robert Crosby as assistant agriculture director
9Rep195248 (42)GeringSelected to finish the term of Speaker Hoyt
10Dem1953–19547Omaha
11Rep1955–195619 (14)HartingtonLater served as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Nebraska; Served during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor from Sep. 24, 1955, to Jan. 1, 1957
12Rep1957–195816 (12)Beemer
13Rep1959–196045 (38)North PlatteServed during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor from Sep. 9, 1960, to Jan. 3, 1961
14Rep1961–196238 (33)McCook
15Rep1963–19648 (10)Omaha
16Rep1965–196637Red Cloud
17Rep1967–196843Valentine
18Rep1969–197025WaverlySon of Charles J. Warner, the first speaker
19Rep1971–197218West Point
20Rep1973–197412Omaha
21Dem1975–197619Hartington
22Rep1977–197828LincolnLater served as Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska
23Rep1979–198233Hastings
24Rep1983–198648ScottsbluffLater served as Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska
25Rep1987–199039LexingtonLater served as a US Representative
26Rep1991–199247Kimball
27Dem1993–199614Papillion
28Rep1997–200237MindenLater became chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Kearney[2]
29Rep2003–200423Wahoo
30Rep2005–20064OmahaServed during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24, 2005
31Rep2007–201219NorfolkLater served as a US Representative
32Rep2013–201424YorkServed during two vacancies in the office of lieutenant governor from Feb. 2 to Feb. 13, 2013, and from Sep. 9 to Sep. 29, 2014
33Rep2015–201637Kearney
34Rep2017–202019Norfolk
35Rep2021–202221LincolnLater became the Nebraska Attorney General
36Rep2023–Present14La Vista

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nebraska Blue Book 2022-23. State of Nebraska. 395.
  2. News: UNK chancellor announces retirement 22 years after taking Central Nebraska role. Zach. Wendling. Nebraska Examiner. December 6, 2023. February 17, 2024.