Legislative Testimony for LB50: Change voice analysis examiner and voice stress analyzer provisions under the Licensing of Truth and Deception Examiners Act

Chairman Brewer and members of the Government, Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, my name is Nicole Fox, and I am here today to testify on behalf of the Platte Institute in support of LB50.

During the 2018 interim, I was invited to join a group of individuals at a meeting sponsored by Sen. Groene’s office to discuss concerns regarding the license that is required for individuals wanting to administer “truth verification exams.”

Nebraska’s licensing requirements are extremely burdensome. A representative from the Secretary of State’s office was also at that meeting and related to the group that the Truth and Deception Examiners license is one of the “most vigorous licenses the office administered.”

In most states, truth and deception examiners complete a certification program through the National Institute for Truth Verification. Recertification is then required every 2 years.

But in Nebraska, if you want to be a voice analysis examiner and operate a voice stress analyzer, there are additional requirements, including an internship conducting 50 truth verification exams.  Finding 50 individuals to volunteer to complete the 50 exams required can be difficult and often an extension is needed. If the 50 exams are not completed after the extension, the applicant must start over.

At the time of the interim meeting, the sole internship supervisor in Nebraska verbalized his intention to retire soon.

LB50 eliminates this internship requirement.

Applicants for this license must also have a bachelor’s degree, but not all law enforcement agencies require a bachelor’s degree for entry into their law enforcement certification programs.

LB50 eliminates the bachelor’s degree requirement.

Nebraska’s law was crafted with good intentions, but unfortunately has resulted in unintended consequences. Current law not only delays entry into the workforce, it puts more rural parts of our state at risk for a shortage of individuals who can provide this service.

LB50 is in line with a national effort to reduce burdensome occupational regulation.

To those in law enforcement who are here today, thank you for your service. Your desire to serve the public and keep us safe is greatly appreciated.

I thank Sen. Groene’s efforts to reduce burdens for those in law enforcement wishing to provide voice stress analysis as a tool to maintain public safety.

I urge the committee to advance LB50 to General File.