Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

 For democracy to prosper, government must to be accountable to the people it represents. As public officials, we are accountable to you and maintaining clear communication with Nebraskans should play a central role in everything we do.

My approach to leadership is to be as open and straightforward as I can with the people of Nebraska. Transparency in government is key to building and maintaining the trust and confidence of Nebraskans. As the engraving on the front of our State Capitol says, “The salvation of the state is watchfulness in the citizen.”

Citizens have a right to better understand how decisions are made when it impacts their safety and welfare. We took an important step forward in furthering this kind of relationship with a bill I signed into law in recent days.

 LB 782 was one of my priorities for the 2008 legislative session and it was approved by the Legislature with no dissenting votes. I want to thank Senator Gwen Howard for introducing the bill and for working hard for its passage.

The bill is part of a larger effort to build awareness and public confidence in government by allowing officials within the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to disclose more information relating to the welfare of state wards. The bill took effect immediately, and ensures that in the instances when a tragic event involves a ward of the state, Health and Human Services will be able to provide information that helps the public understand the policies and decisions made in the case.

The law allows children and family services leaders to release information concerning suspected abuse and neglect of a child when someone is charged with a crime connected to the case. It allows public disclosure when a child is missing from their foster home or other placement and other serious circumstances involving children placed in the state’s care.

 A key component of the bill is the stipulation that releasing information must be in the best interests of the child involved. Our first priority will be protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the people we serve, but we can do better in striking a balance between personal confidentiality and public accountability.

 Showing that Health and Human Services policies are designed to protect the best interest of a child and demonstrating that those policies are followed is a vital part of bringing greater clarity, transparency and accountability to the workings of our state’s largest agency.

 By sharing more information, Health and Human Services has the potential to build greater public trust and confidence. I know that everyone from frontline staff to the leadership of the department is committed to fulfilling their mission of helping Nebraskans lead healthier lives. One of those core responsibilities is to provide help for those in need. That is why it was so important that we took action to allow greater public disclosure in the difficult and challenging cases involving the state’s child welfare system.

 The greater transparency created by LB 782 was a much-needed step to help demonstrate ways the state is working to better serve children and families in Nebraska.