LINCOLN — The Nebraska Capitol’s annual Christmas tree-lighting event that has been marked in recent years by singing children and sometimes interrupted by protests focusing attention elsewhere is getting more private in a public place.

Gov. Jim Pillen moved this year’s event to 6 p.m., after the Capitol’s public hours, and required tickets obtained from state senators to attend. The Governor’s Office said it was an effort to keep the event focused on the season’s meaning.

The move spurred some criticism from lawmakers, including State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, who argued in a Facebook post that the people’s event in the people’s house should be open to the public and questioned why lawmakers needed to handle tickets. Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple said the program was moved partly to make sure the lighting happened after the sun had gone down and that ticketing was required to host an event in the Capitol after regular business hours.

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