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January 11, 2013                                                                              Legislative Report Archive
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legisLegislature Convenes on January 9, 2013

The 103rd Legislature, First Session convened on Wednesday for a "long" 90-day session. Senators began bill introductions on Thursday and will continue to introduce bills during the first ten days of the session. By the end of the third day, 155 new bills and three new constitutional amendments had been introduced.  Bills that were not advanced or killed in 2012 were not carried over to the new session. Adjournment is tentatively scheduled for June 5.

 

Senator Greg Adams was elected Speaker and new committee chairs were elected. A complete list of chairs and committee members is available here.  A list of senators and their contact information is here.

 

Following a recess day in recognition of Martin Luther King,  Jr. Day, committee hearings are scheduled to begin on the afternoon of Jan. 22.  All bills must have a public committee hearing.  If the committee advances the bill to the full legislature, it is subject to three rounds of debate: General File, Select File, and Final Reading.  Bills that pass are sent to Governor Heineman for a signature or veto. 

 

The Legislature's website contains information pertinent to legislative activities: daily and session calendars, text of bills and amendments, daily agendas, hearing schedules, senator contact information, transcripts of debate, state laws, and more.  Live video streaming of floor debate and committee hearings is provided by Nebraska Educational Television (NET).

 

Other legislative information is available through the following sources:

  • Clerk of the Legislature - (402)471-2271
  • Legislative 24-Hour Request Line - individual copies of bills or Unicameral Update subscriptions - (402)471-2877
  • Hotline - answers to quesitons about the status of bills or other information - (402)471-2709; Outside Lincoln (800)742-7456 

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commNACO Legislative Committee Meeting Set for January 25

 

NACO's Legislative Committee will meet on Jan. 25 to review and take positions on 2013 legislation. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) Building (605 S. 14th Street) in Lincoln. The NSEA Building is located directly north of the NACO office. After brief introductory remarks, affiliate groups will meet for discussion of bills pertinent to their membership. After the groups have met, the NACO Legislative Committee will reconvene as a whole to review and take positions on the entire list of bills. All county officials are encouraged to attend or discuss areas of concern with their NACO Board representative prior to the meeting.

 

Because lunch will be provided, please notify the NACO office at (402)434-5660 or leslie@nacone.org if you plan to attend. Because the Legislature is in session, parking around the Capitol may be limited. Public parking is not permitted behind the NSEA Building and parking behind the NACO office is very limited. A parking garage is available at The Cornhusker, A Marriott Hotel at 12th and L Streets.

 

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snapSnapshots of County Issues 

A number of the bills introduced this week have an impact on counties.  Some of these include: 

  • LB3 (Krist)- Change filing provisions relating to nonconsensual liens
  • LB11 (Krist) - Change provisions relating to surcharges for 911 service
  • LB28 (Hadley) - Change a late filing penalty relating to personal property tax
  • LB29 (Hadley) - Provide a duty for county treasurers relating to recording tax assessments and collections
  • LB36 (Wightman) - Change an exemption to the documentary stamp tax
  • LB41 (Cook) - Provide for permanent early voting request list and return of early voting ballots to polling places
  • LB46 (Ashford) - Provide for consolidation and coordination of crime laboratories
  • LB55 (Wightman) - Change provisions relating to reassumption of assessment function by counties
  • LB56 (Larson) - Provide for automatic nomination of certain county officers
  • LB57 (Larson) - Change provisions relating to grants from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund
  • LB62 (Schilz) - Change levy provisions for rural and suburban fire protection districts
  • LB65 (Schilz) - Authorize counties to set sheriff's fees and commissions
  • LB66 (Schilz) - Authorize cities of the first class to annex certain noncontiguous property
  • LB97 (Mello) - Adopt the Nebraska Municipal Land Bank Act and authorize land banks to acquire tax-delinquent properties
  • LB101 (Watermeier) - Change valuation of agricultural land and horticultural land
  • LB123 (Lautenbaugh) - Change distribution of indigent defense fees
  • LB127 (McGill) - Provide for preregistration to vote for 16 and 17 year olds
  • LB144 (Brasch) - Provide for write-in candidacy by defeated candidate
  • LB145 (Brasch) - Change valuation of agricultural land and horticultural land
  • LR12CA (Harms) - Constitutional amendment to authorize a county manager form of county government

    

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