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February 7, 2014                                                                              Legislative Report Archive
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prioriPriority Bill Designations Begin

Senators and committees began designating their priority bills on Monday, the 18th day of the session. Although a priority designation does not guarantee that a bill will be advanced by a committee or adopted by the body, the Speaker makes an effort to place priority bills on the agenda for debate. Senators and committees have until February 20 to make their selections. The Speaker may also select 20 speaker priority bills. The complete list of priority bills is here. Some of the priority bills that affect counties are LB464 (Ashford) that would revise juvenile probation procedures adopted last year in LB561, and LB887 (Campbell) that would provide for Medicaid expansion. Lengthy debate on these and several other priority bills will dominate the remainder of the session.

 

The Legislature will be in recess on February 14 and 17, then return for the final two weeks of hearings. Full days of floor debate will begin on March 4.

 

    

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spshSnapshots of County Issues

Bills Heard in Committee This Week

Revenue Committee

The Revenue Committee heard a series of homestead exemption, property tax relief, and agricultural land valuation bills this week. At press time, senators were taking testimony on bills to provide an income tax credit for certain property taxes paid. This concept was referred to as a circuit-breaker during Tax Modernization Committee hearings this summer.

 

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Quorums and elections were two of the main county issues heard by the Government Committee this week. LB937 would revise the number of supervisors that constitute a quorum. Existing law sets a quorum at two-thirds of all supervisors elected, which is 4.667 members. Some counties have interpreted this section to mean that four members, or a majority, of the board can meet as a committee or attend a hearing. The bill would specify that a majority of all elected supervisors constitutes a quorum.

                                                              

The committee also heard LB946 and LB746. LB946 would revise a number of election statutes, including setting a Nov. 30 date to determine candidate filing fees. LB746 would provide for cross-county portability of provisional ballots, which has been categorized as a preliminary step toward election day registration. Senators raised questions about voter ID and personal responsibility in the registration process. All of the bills remain in committee. 

 

Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee Hearings

Counties and other public entities could deposit funds in credit unions under LB734. NACO and the League of Municipalities testified in support of the bill and several counties submitted letters in support, citing the flexibility and optional nature of the proposal. The Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee took no action on the bill.

 

Agriculture Committee

The Agriculture Committee heard LB673, a proposal to repeal the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Management Act, on Tuesday. The Act allows counties to develop management plans to help control infestations of prairie dogs. 

 

Judiciary Committee

On Wednesday the Judiciary Committee heard AM1674 to LB464. The amendment would modify juvenile justice statutes, including provisions codified last session by LB561 (2013). Section 16 of the amendment is intended to clarify the obligations of counties, Office of Probation Administration and the Office of Juvenile Services within the Department of Health and Human Services. Also included in the amendment are provisions that would modify the uses of Community-based Juvenile Services Aid and add an additional $5 million to the program. Counties and federally recognized or state-recognized Indian tribes can apply for this aid.

 

The committee also heard AM1734 that would create a council for student attendance. The council would, among other things, consider whether school districts policies and practices for addressing truancy and absenteeism are operational and effectively working to address truancy and make recommendations for improvement. The amendment would appropriate $2 million for funding grants for the development, implementation, and funding programs regarding absenteeism and truancy in order to foster school attendance.  

 

Further revisions are expected before the amendments are debated on the floor. LB464 is a carryover bill that is on Select File. LB464 was selected by Senator Ashford as his priority bill for the 2014 session.

 

 

Bills Advanced by Committees

On Monday the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee heard a bill to clarify the permit process for mowing state highway ditches. LB698 would allow permits to be issued every year, regardless of drought conditions or other declarations in the prior year. The bill was advanced but has not been designated as a priority bill. No revisions to mowing county road ditches were proposed this year. The committee also advanced LB982, which would revise definitions related to all-terrain and utility-type vehicles to accommodate new products.  

  

  

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heargSelected Committee Hearing Schedule

All bills introduced by the Legislature are assigned to one of the Legislature's committees for a public hearing. Hearings, which are held each afternoon, will conclude on February 24.

 

Monday, February 10

Executive Board

Room 2102, 12:00 p.m.

  • LR400 (Dubas) Provide the Executive Board of the Legislative Council appoint a special committee to be known as the ACCESSNebraska Special Investigative Committee of the Legislature
  • LR424 (Lathrop) Provide the Executive Board of the Legislative Council appoint a special committee of the Legislature to be known as the Department of Correctional Services Special Investigative Committee of the Legislature

 

Transportation and Telecommunications Committee

Room 1113, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB1029 (Coash) Change provisions relating to size, weight, and load with respect to vehicles transporting fertilizer
  • LB1039 (Dubas) Change provisions relating to size, weight, and load for farm equipment
  • LB1082 (Brasch) Allow all-terrain vehicles and utility-type vehicles to be operated as authorized emergency vehicles

 

Tuesday, February 11

Transportation and Telecommunications Committee

Room 1113, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB795 (Harr) Change provisions relating to operator's license reinstatement
  • LB990 (Nordquist) Add a penalty and change a record requirement for 911 service suppliers

 

Urban Affairs Committee

Room 1510, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB1095 (Davis) Create the Tax-increment Financing Division of the Department of Economic Development and change the Community Development Law
  • LB823 (Lautenbaugh) Terminate metropolitan utilities districts on January 1, 2015

 

Wednesday, February 12

Judiciary Committee

Room 1113, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB664 (Krist) Provide immunity under the Engineers and Architects Regulation Act during an emergency
  • LB1022 (Seiler) Change legal procedure provisions of hearsay, disposition of untried charges, and speedy trial
  • LB832 (Lautenbaugh) Change provisions relating to reductions in sentence, change good-time provisions, and provide for earned time   

 

Revenue Committee

Room 1524, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB1092 (Dubas) Authorize issuance of highway construction bonds

 

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Room 1507, 1:30 p.m. 

  • LB1084 (Garrett) Change provisions governing the filing of certain vacancies
  • LB945 (Davis) Provide procedures for aid to political subdivisions from the Governor's Emergency Program

 

Judiciary Committee

Room 1113, 1:30 p.m. 

  • LB664 (Krist) Provide immunity under the Engineers and Architects Regulation Act during an emergency
  • LB1022 (Seiler) Change legal procedure provisions of hearsay, disposition of untried charges, and speedy trial
  • LB832 (Lautenbaugh) Change provisions relating to reductions in sentence, change good-time provisions, and provide for earned time 

 

Thursday, February 13

Judiciary Committee

Room 1113, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB870 (Bolz) Adopt the Public Debt Recovery Program Act
  • LB1063 (Lautenbaugh) Require juvenile court approval to obtain a juvenile court proceeding transcript
  • LB1093 (Brasch) Change provisions relating to juvenile facilitated conferencing and funding
  • LB1021 (Seiler) Change provisions relating to the sealing of records of a juvenile
  • LB1028 (Coash) Change the number of judges of the separate juvenile court as prescribed

 

Revenue Committee

Room 1524, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB721 (Janssen) Change tax provisions

 

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB737 (Dubas) Change qualifications for county veterans service officers
  • LB805 (Avery) Change application requirements for Nebraska veterans homes
  • LB935 (Gloor) Require legislative approval to move state services

 

The Legislature is in recess on Friday, February 14 and Monday, February 17.

 

Tuesday, February 18

Appropriations Committee

Room 1524, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB1094 (Davis) Change a fund transfer to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund
  • LB1086 (Pirsch) Transfer cash reserve funds to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund
  • LB669 (McCoy) Transfer cash reserve funds to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund

 

Wednesday, February 19

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB980 (Johnson) Change provisions relating to termination of a township board
  • LB773 (Davis) Provide for partisan ballots for unaffiliated voters at primary elections
  • LB1013 (Murante) Permit counties to regulate peddlers, hawkers, and solicitors by ordinance

 

Thursday, February 20

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

  • LB1075 Harr Prohibit employment of certain persons leaving public positions
  • LB1065 Lautenbaugh Eliminate secret ballot provisions under the Open Meetings Act
  • LB1066 Lautenbaugh Require a recorded roll call vote by certain county boards

 

Friday, February 21

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

  • LR393CA (Murante) Constitutional amendment to change signature requirements for initiative petitions
  • LR411CA (Karpisek) Authorize municipalities and counties to exercise powers in matters of local concern and to eliminate home rule charters

 

    

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