William Robert (Bob) Wickersham [RG5370.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID



RG5370.AM:  William Robert (Bob) Wickersham



Papers:  1991-2002

Harrison, Neb.:  State senator (District 49)

Size:  142.5 cu. ft., 144 boxes



BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE



Born in Lusk, Wyoming on October 22, 1948, William Robert “Bob” Wickersham grew up on a ranch in northern Sioux County, Nebraska. He attended Sioux County High School in Harrison, Nebraska and then went on to receive B.S. and B.A degrees from Creighton University and a J.D. from the University of Nebraska School of Law. In 1977 he returned to Harrison, Nebraska and began working as an attorney in private practice. Wickersham also served in the Nebraska National Guard, worked as the Deputy Sioux County Attorney, and was a member of the Harrison Volunteer Fire Department.



Appointed to the state legislature in January 1991 to succeed Sandra Scofield (who he later married on September 30, 1995), Bob Wickersham was elected in 1992 and re-elected in 1996. Senator Wickersham served on the Transportation and Judiciary Committees as well as the Nebraska Retirement Systems and Education Committees. He served as Chair of the Revenue Committee and as Commissioner of the Education Commission of States. On May 1, 2002, Governor Johanns appointed Wickersham as a member of the Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review Commission. Wickersham became chairman of the commission in 2004.



Wickersham was also a member of the Nebraska Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He served as secretary of the Sioux County Historical Society and as vice president of the Sioux County Agricultural Society. Wickersham received a number of awards and citations during his service in the state legislature, including the Nebraska Rural Development Commissionís ìChampion of Educationî award in 1997, the Nebraska State Education Associationís ìFriend of Educationî award in 1998, and the 1999 Frank Morrison Award for his efforts towards Nebraska tourism.



SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE



This collection consists of the legislative papers of Senator Wickersham. The collection contains 144 boxes of materials arranged in four series: 1) Correspondence; 2) Special Topics; 3) Subject Files; and 4) Legislative Bills and Resolutions.



Series 1 contains correspondence from 1992-2002 including letters from constituents, staff members and other senators, as well as invitations to various functions and events and thank you letters. The first four boxes of correspondence are generally grouped by year, but no further efforts have been made to further organize the materials chronologically. Boxes five and six contain correspondence from constituents.



Series 2 consists of twelve boxes of Special Topics materials. Because these topics were not part of the original list of subject files supplied by Senator Wickershamís office, and there were a significant amount of materials for each topic, it was decided to assign these materials to their own series. The topics covered include Decentralized Study, Emergency Management System, Railroads, and Retirement.



Series 3 consists of 28 boxes of subject files maintained by Senator Wickershamís staff. Some of the subjects include abortion, agriculture, distance learning, judicial retention, Panhandle Community Services, schools, telecommunications, and water issues. The subject files are arranged alphabetically, but it should be noted that similar subjects may be found in several files throughout the collection (abortion, fetal tissue, fetal cell research, etc.). The inventory listing the subject files merely shows the subjects represented in each box. Many of the subjects are composed of more than one file folder.



Series 4 makes up the majority of the collection. It is composed of 98 boxes of legislative bills and resolutions. The files are arranged first by year and then by the bill or resolution number.



DESCRIPTION



Series 1 – Correspondence



Box 1: 1992-2000

Box 2: 2000-2001

Box 3: 2001-2002

Box 4: 2002, undated

Box 5: Constituents

Box 6: Constituents



Series 2 – Special Topics



Box 7: Decentralized Study

Box 8: Emergency Management System (EMS)

Box 9: Emergency Management System (EMS)

Box 10: Railroads

Box 11: Railroads

Box 12: Retirement Bills, 1991-1992

Box 13: Retirement Bills, 1991-1992

Box 14: Retirement Bills, 1992-1994

Box 15: Retirement Bills, 1995

Box 16: Retirement Bills, 1996; Retirement Committee transcripts, 1994

Box 17: Retirement Committee transcripts, 1995-1996

Box 18: Retirement Committee, Misc.



Series 3 – Subject Files



Box 19



Abate

Ability to Pay for Services

Abortion

Accretion Lands

Accountability & Disclosure

ACTEN Workshop

Admiralships

Aeronautics

Affiliation

Agate Fossil Beds

Aging

Agriculture (crops, agencies, etc.)



Box 20



Agriculture (crops, agencies, etc.)

Agriculture – general

Agricultural Land Valuation

Alcohol/Drug Abuse

Alliance

Alzheimer’s Association

American Cancer Society

American Dental Association

American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

American Red Cross

Americans with Disabilities Act

Ammons, Marvin

Anti-Drug Abuse

Appointments

Appropriations

Aquaculture

Arbor Day

Area Mail Processing



Box 21



Arrow Bus Lines

Articles

Arts Council, Nebraska

Assessed Values

Attorney General

Auditor

Back to School Day

Baldwin

Banking, Commerce & Insurance

Bankruptcy Legislation

Banner County FSA

Beef

Beet Hauling

Behavioral Health

Benefits

Bidding Procedures

Blue Ribbon Coalition

Board of Regents

Boys Town

Box Butte Development

Box Butte Red Cross Benefit Auction

Budget

Business in Nebraska



Box 22



Cable TV

Campaign Finance Limitations

CAN

Catalog Sales Tax

Central NE Public Power & Irrigation District

Chadron State College

Chamber Automation

Chambers, Ernie



Box 23



Charter Schools

Child: care, abuse, support, health insurance, Head Start Program, etc.

Childrenís Day

Christmas Greetings (Newspaper), 2001

Cigarette Taxes

Civil Defense

Class I Lawsuit

Class Iís United

Clergymen from District #49

Commission on Local Government Innovation and Restructuring

Commonwealth

Community Action



Box 24



Community Action of Nebraska, Inc.

Community Colleges

Community Development Corp.

Community Development Week: Chadron

Computer Services Interim Study

Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS)

Conference calls

Constitution Revision Commission

Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education

Corrections

County Attorneys

County Profiles

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

Crawford Fish Hatchery



Box 25



Crawford Flood

Creighton University

Crime Packages

Dawes County: property values

Death Penalty

Demolays

Dental Association

Developmental Disabilities

Discrimination (racial, sexual, etc.)

Distance Learning

Domestic Violence

DWI

Early Childhood Brain Development

Economic Development

EduCable System



Box 26



Education – general

Education Association, Nebraska State

Education Commission of the States (ECS)



Box 27



Education Committee

Education Committee Tour, 1997

Education Service Unit (ESU)

Education Task Force

Election

Election Contest, 1991

Elections, 1998

Electronic Commerce

Elk & Deer (CWD)

Emergency Management Agency

Empson

Energy (issues, agencies, etc.)

Energy Officeís Policy Advisory Board

Environmental – issues and agencies

Equalization Board

Ethanol (Minnesota study)

Ethanol Board

Ethics

Excellence in Education Council

Executive Committee



Box 28



Extension Service

Family: preservation & support

Family Range Camp

Farm Bureau

FDA

Federal Issues

Feed lot/confinement feeding

Feng, Ying

Fetal Tissue

Fetal Cell Research

Firearms

Fires in Panhandle, 2000

Fiscal

5 State Conference

Food Stamps

Football tickets

Forestry



Box 29



Fort Robinson

Fossil Preservation

Foster Care: review board & parents

4-H Youth Club

4-R Act (8th Circuit)

Four State Legislative Conference

Franklin Committee

Freitag, Kyla

Fuel Tax

Gambling (Indian)

Game Farms



Box 30



Game & Parks Commission

Gastroenteritis outbreak at Capitol

General Affairs Committee

Geographic Educators of Nebraska

Geographic Information Systems

Gering Courier

Goals 2000

Gordon

Government Efficiency

Government, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee

Governor

Grants

Greater Nebraska Schools Association

Green Thumb

GWEN

Handi-Man Program

Hanson, James

Haynes, Mark

Health & Human Services (Dept. of)



Box 31



Health Care (doctors, nurses, etc.)

Herman, Dick

Highway Information

Historical Society

Hobby Boiler Owners

Home-based Businesses

Homestead Exemption

Homestead House

Housing Community

Human Resources

Incentives

Income

Initiative 300

Initiative 413



Box 32



Initiative 413

Initiative 414

Initiative Petition, 1998

Insurance

Internet Sites

Interstate Sales & Use Tax Act

Jaksha Group (Ed Jaksha)

Judicial Retention

Judiciary



Box 33



Kansas vs. Nebraska

Labor

Law Enforcement

LEAD

Leadership Chadron

Leadership Scottsbluff

Legislative Academy for Youth

Legislative Information

Legislative Salary

Library

Liquor: sales, abuse, Coop, etc.

Liquor Control Commission

Literacy

Livestock Waste Control Facilities

Lottery

Low Level Nuclear Waste

Mandates

Marsh, Elaine

Martin Luther Home

MAT

Medicaid

Meetings

Military



Box 34



Milken Family

Minimum Wage

Ministers

Motor Vehicles

Motorcycle Helmet Safety

National Conference of State Legislators

National Guard information

Native American Education

Native Americans

Natural Resources

Nebraska vs. Wyoming



Box 35



Nebraska Advocacy Services

Nebraska Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO)

Nebraska Boy’s Ranch

Nebraska Capitol Forum

Nebraska Catholic Conference

Nebraska Chamber of Commerce

Nebraska Christian Educators Association

Nebraska Coalition for Victims of Crime

Nebraska Commission on the Status of Women

Nebraska Community Improvement Program

Nebraska Corn Growers Association

Nebraska Crime Commission

Nebraska Federation of Catholic School Parents

Nebraska Head Start Association

Nebraska Investment Council

Nebraska Online

Nebraska Optimetric Association

Nebraska Power Review Board

Nebraska Public Service Commission

Nebraska Retail Federation

Nebraska Rural Development Commission

Nebraska Senior Service Corp. Program

Nebraska Student Vote, 2000

Nebraska Tax Research Council

Nebraska Wheat Board

Networking

Newspaper clippings

NIDCAC

Nominations

Northwest Nebraska Network Group

Notes to the 49th

Nursing

Ogallala

Omaha Chamber of Commerce

Omaha City Council

Omaha World Herald

Ombudsmen

Ostrander, Cash

P-16

Page duties

Panhandle Community Services

Panhandlers Luncheon

Partnership Project



Box 36



Peru State College

Petitions

Plains Inn Convention Center

Planned Parenthood

Population of Municipalities

Pork Producers Association

Prairie Dogs

Press Releases

Prisons

Prisons, Box Butte Co.

Prisons, Privatization

Prisons, Scotts Bluff Co.

Probation



Box 37



Program Review & Evaluation

Property Tax

Public Employees Retirement Board

Public Radio

Redistricting 2000

Recycling

Region I

Research & Development Authority

Research Information

Resumes

Retail Wheeling

Revenue



Box 38



Revenue Committee

Rhizomania

Ride the Ridge

Road Signs

Roads (Dept. of)

Rules

Rural Air Service Conference

Rural Childrenís Caucus



Box 39



Rural Development

Rural Development Commission

Rural Electric

Rural Enterprise Assistance

Rural Health

Rural Polls



Box 40



Sales Tax

Sandoz, Mari

School Boards

School at the Center

School Consolidation

School for the Deaf

School – District 49

School Finance

School Lands

School Lunch Programs

School Technology

School Tour Information



Box 41



Schools

Schools – Omaha Public

Schools – all other

Scottsbluff Law Enforcement

Scouts

Seat Belts

Secretary of State

Seidel, Nathan

Senators – letters of request, support, etc.

Sexual Harassment

Smith Lake Road

Snowmobiles

Solid Waste



Box 42



Special Care Providers Regulations

Special Education

Special Session, 1991

Speeches

Staff Reduction Incentives

State Aid to District 49

State Liability

Summaries

Supreme Court

Surplus Property

SWANN

Tax Exempt Taxation



Box 43



Tax Issues

Tax Equalization & Review Commission (TERC)

Tax Seminar Information

Taxes, Intangibles

Technology

Teen Pregnancy

Telecommunications



Box 44



Telecommunications

Term Limits

309 Taskforce

Tobacco

Tourism

Town Hall Meetings

Tractors

Trails

Transportation Committee

Transportation Enhancement Program

Travel

Trauma Network Systems

Treasurer

Turkey Hunt (Governorís Annual)

Underground Storage Tank Program

United States Senators



Box 45



University of Nebraska




    1. UNL

        • Public Policy Center



    1. UNO

    1. UNK



Uranium Mining

US West

Veterans Issues (hospitals, cemeteries, healthcare, etc.)

Volunteer Firefighters

Volunteer Firefighters – retirement

Voter Registration (Cherry Co.)

Voting Records

Water (council, issues, agencies, etc.)



Box 46



Water (council, issues, agencies, etc.)

Welfare

Western Nebraska Site Information

Western Sugar Tour

Wetlands

White Clay, NE

Wilderness Camp

Worker Training Program

Youth Services

YMCA

Zlomke, Richard



Series 4 – Legislative Bills and Resolutions



Box 47: 1991-1992, LB0001-0209; LRs

Box 48: 1991-1992, LB0213-0425

Box 49: 1991-1992, LB0427-0643

Box 50: 1991-1992, LB0644-0854

Box 51: 1991-1992, LB0872-1190

Box 52: 1991-1992, LB1192-1287

Box 53: 1992, Special Session

Box 54: 1993-1994, LB0001-0098

Box 55: 1993-1994, LB0099-0199

Box 56: 1993-1994, LB0200-0289

Box 57: 1993-1994, LB0290-0344

Box 58: 1993-1994, LB0345-0420

Box 59: 1993-1994, LB0421-0457

Box 60: 1993-1994, LB0458-0540

Box 61: 1993-1994, LB0540-0629

Box 62: 1993-1994, LB0630-0694

Box 63: 1993-1994, LB0695-0749

Box 64: 1993-1994, LB0745-0829

Box 65: 1993-1994, LB0830-0902

Box 66: 1993-1994, LB0903-0974

Box 67: 1993-1994, LB0975-1074

Box 68: 1993-1994, LB1075-1184

Box 69: 1993-1994, LB1185-1276

Box 70: 1993-1994, LB1278-1361

Box 71: 1993-1994, LR0002-0365

Box 72: 1993-1995, LBs

Box 73: 1993-1995, LBs

Box 74: 1995-1996, LB0001-0019; LRs

Box 75: 1995-1996, LB0020-0099

Box 76: 1995-1996, LB0100-0182

Box 77: 1995-1996, LB0183-0265

Box 78: 1995-1996, LB0266-0367

Box 79: 1995-1996, LB0372-0424

Box 80: 1995-1996, LB0425-0503

Box 81: 1995-1996, LB0504-0577

Box 82: 1995-1996, LB0578-0654

Box 83: 1995-1996, LB0655-0751

Box 84: 1995-1996, LB0752-0839

Box 85: 1995-1996, LB0840-0889

Box 86: 1995-1996, LB0890-0926; LR1-65CA; LR276CA-312CA

Box 87: 1995-1996, LB0906-1027

Box 88: 1995-1996, LB1028-1068

Box 89: 1995-1996, LB1069-1176

Box 90: 1995-1996, LB1177-1274

Box 91: 1995-1996, LB1275-1389

Box 92: 1997-1998, LB0001-0125

Box 93: 1997-1998, LB0126-0225

Box 94: 1997-1998, LB0226-0299

Box 95: 1997-1998, LB0300-0360

Box 96: 1997-1998, LB0361-0405

Box 97: 1997-1998, LB0406-0499

Box 98: 1997-1998, LB0500-0590

Box 99: 1997-1998, LB0591-0700

Box 100: 1997-1998, LB0701-0788

Box 101: 1997-1998, LB0789-0806

Box 102: 1997-1998, LB0807-0891

Box 103: 1997-1998, LB0892-0989

Box 104: 1997-1998, LB0990-1085

Box 105: 1997-1998, LB1086-1152

Box 106: 1997-1998, LB1153-1208

Box 107: 1997-1998, LB1209-1280

Box 108: 1997-1998, LB1281-1362

Box 109: 1999-2000, LB0001-0087

Box 110: 1999-2000, LB0088-0178

Box 111: 1999-2000, LB0179-0271

Box 112: 1999-2000, LB0272-0391

Box 113: 1999-2000, LB0382-0464

Box 114: 1999-2000, LB0485-0564

Box 115: 1999-2000, LB0565-0655

Box 116: 1999-2000, LB0656-0752

Box 117: 1999-2000, LB0753-0818

Box 118: 1999-2000, LB0819-0883

Box 119: 1999-2000, LB0884-0981

Box 120: 1999-2000, LB0982-1098

Box 121: 1999-2000, LB1099-1197

Box 122: 1999-2000, LB1198-1298

Box 123: 1999-2000, LB1299-1405

Box 124: 1999-2000, LB1406-1449; LRs & Special Session

Box 125: 2001-2002, LB0001-0089

Box 126: 2001-2002, LB0090-0171

Box 127: 2001-2002, LB0172-0242

Box 128: 2001-2002, LB0243-0321

Box 129: 2001-2002, LB0322-0397

Box 130: 2001-2002, LB0399-0462

Box 131: 2001-2002, LB0463-0535

Box 132: 2001-2002, LB0536-0619

Box 133: 2001-2002, LB0620-0657

Box 134: 2001-2002, LB0658-0747

Box 135: 2001-2002, LB0748-0826

Box 136: 2001-2002, LB0827-0916

Box 137: 2001-2002, LB0917-1033

Box 138: 2001-2002, LB1034-1120

Box 139: 2001-2002, LB1121-1209

Box 140: 2001-2002, LB1210-1310

Box 141: Misc. LBs

Box 142: Misc. LBs

Box 143: Misc. LBs

Box 144: Misc. LRs



 



05-23-2006   TMM/tmm

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

The Story of Omaha Police Fingerprint Expert Emily Byram

The Story of Omaha Police Fingerprint Expert Emily Byram

Marker Monday: Cather Childhood Home

Marker Monday: Cather Childhood Home

Yutan Tornado – March 23, 1913

Yutan Tornado – March 23, 1913

About History Nebraska
History Nebraska was founded in 1878 as the Nebraska State Historical Society by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed History Nebraska from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director and CEO Jill Dolberg. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for History Nebraska.
Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast.

Nebraska Collections

History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

History Nebraska Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

Support History Nebraska
Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to History Nebraska help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of History Nebraska by donating to the History Nebraska Foundation today.

Volunteers are the heroes of History Nebraska. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.