Interim Study Resolutions Introduced

Senators concluded the introduction of interim studies this week. Counties will participate in studies to examine unfunded mandates (LR544,  LR582), county bridges (LR528), guardian ad litem (LR542), juvenile courts (LR552), agland valuation (LR566), relationships between state and local governments (LR556), and state aid (LR573). A complete listing of interim studies can be found here.

Bills Debated on General File

Voters who register in the office of the county clerk or election commissioner would be able to vote provisionally that same day under a Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee amendment to LB565. Ballots would not be counted if the acknowledgment of registration postcard is returned to the county as undeliverable within ten days. Senator Russ Karpisek offered an amendment to require legislative confirmation of election commissioners appointed by the governor in counties over 100,000. The amendment failed, as did an amendment to address the possible lack of identification needed  by the homeless to register to vote under the bill.  LB565 was debated on Thursday and appears on Monday's agenda for continued General File debate.   

The State of Nebraska could issue highway construction bonds pursuant to LB1092 that was advanced from General File on Wednesday. A cloture vote was needed to end debate and take a vote for advancement.  

Bills Passed by the Legislature

Senators sent a number of bills to the governor's desk this week, including the budget package and several bills prompted by this summer's Tax Modernization Commission study. Among the tax relief proposals that passed are measures that would increase homestead exemption income limitations (LB986), adjust income tax brackets for inflation (LB987), and exempt certain agricultural machinery from sales and use taxes (LB96). The budget contains an additional $25 million in property tax relief and $5 million that would be paid to counties for temporarily housing state prisoners.

Following are some of the bills passed that would affect counties.

• LB560 would require all employers to provide employees with an itemized statement listing their wages, deductions, and hours worked, if appropriate, on each payday. The statement would be delivered or made available to each employee, by mail or electronically, or provided at the employee's normal place of employment during employment hours.

• LB661 would require the Secretary of State and Department of Motor Vehicles to develop an electronic voter registration system.

• LB814 would revise definitions and registration procedures related to all-terrain and utility-type vehicles. County treasurers would collect the sales and use taxes at the time of application for the certificate of title for such vehicles. For five years, sales and use taxes collected for these vehicles and personal watercraft would be used by the Game and Parks Commission for repairs at state parks.

• LB251 would increase the fees charged by car rental companies to help cover the costs of motor vehicle taxes and fees paid in Nebraska. Under existing law, such fees collected in excess of motor vehicle taxes and fees are distributed to counties, cities, and schools under the regular motor vehicle distribution formula.

• LB863 would allow counties that have been maintaining an abandoned or neglected pioneer cemetery for at least five years to transfer the management of the cemetery to a cemetery association. The county planning commission, if any, would review the proposed transfer and the county board would hold a public hearing before approving the transfer by resolution.

• LB946 would revise numerous election provisions, including clarifying the election process for county surveyors.  

Bills Signed Into Law

Governor Heineman signed two bills with county impact this week. LB144 allows candidates who fail to advance from the primary election due to a tie vote to pursue a write-in candidacy in the general election. LB259 exempts keno writers who have no direct responsibility for the selection of numbers from licensing. Both bills take effect three calendar months after the legislative session ends on April 17.