The Nebraska Legislature meets either ninety or sixty days each year. The sixty day, or short session just ended for the year on April 18th. Some people may wonder what happens during the interim – the time when the Legislature is not meeting. Legislative staff members continue working from the state capitol office in a variety of roles. Appointments are arranged in Lincoln and/or in each legislative district. Constituent problems are addressed. Research is done on issues brought to senators that may become legislative bills during the next session. Later this year, the various committees of the Legislature will hold interim hearings.

Near the end of each legislative session, senators are asked to introduce study resolutions. These resolutions consist of issues committees may study during the interim and possibly develop into legislation. I introduced one such study resolution, LR 578. This resolution would assess the State of Nebraska’s compliance with both the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 and the Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Act, and to make recommendations for improvement. LR 578 directs the Health and Human Services Committee and the Tribal Relations Committee to hold a joint hearing on this issue.

The Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs brought this idea to me. As a member of both the Health Committee and Tribal Relations Committee, I saw a real need to bring this matter forward. The Health Committee just spent a great deal of the time studying child welfare issues in Nebraska, but focused more on privatization efforts, foster care, case management, etc. LR 578 will look specifically at the State of Nebraska’s compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act regarding: (1) coordination between the State of Nebraska and tribes; (2) outcome measures; (3) percentage of Native American children placed in Nebraska’s child welfare system; (4) percentage of Native American children placed with native American foster parents; (5) percentage of Native American children placed with relatives; (6) number of Native American foster parents in Nebraska; (7) what active efforts are being utilized to reunify Native American families; and (8) what culturally appropriate services are available and being utilized. These issues are important to the State of Nebraska and Members of the Ponca, Omaha, Santee Sioux, and Winnebago tribes. I will keep you informed on the progress of LR 578 as the fall approaches.

The Health Committee members will also be studying the following issues this fall: (1) the entry of children into the child welfare system; (2) how Nebraska’s system for screening, assessing, and investigating reports of child abuse and neglect contributes to Nebraska’s rates of out-of-home care; (3) review and assess the implementation and sustainability of the Nebraska Health Care Funding Act; (4) determine the range of investment returns on the Nebraska Health Care Cash fund over the next ten years and the actual demands upon the current recipients of the funds over the next ten years; and (5) examine issues surrounding the moratorium on long-term beds under the Nebraska health Care Certificate of Need Act.

Most, if not all, of the Legislature’s committees will schedule and hold interim hearings late this summer or fall. You can check for the hearing schedules at the following website: www.nebraskalegislature.gov .

Two deadlines are quickly approaching, and I want to let you know about them ASAP. Details were released this past week on the deadlines and requirements for the new Nebraska Children’s Commission and the new Foster Care Review Committee. Both were created by the Legislature this year.

The main focus of this past legislative session was child welfare. LB 821 was one of the five major bills introduced by the Health and Human Services Committee, of which I am a member. LB 821 created the Nebraska Children’s Commission to meet and create a strategic plan to reform child welfare programs, services and reporting on it to the Legislature and the Governor. Major changes were implemented through legislation this year, but there is still a need to focus on the future and how we are going to move forward with all the changes recently mandated by the Legislature. Recommendations from this Commission will be introduced in legislative bills during the 2013 session.

Applications for the Nebraska Children’s Commission are due by the close of business on Friday, May 11, 2012. The following positions are available for those who are interested in serving on this Commission: director of a child advocacy center; administrator of a behavioral health region; community representatives from each of the five child welfare service areas; a prosecuting attorney who practices in juvenile court; a guardian ad litem; a parent currently or previously involved in the child welfare system; a foster parent; a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer; a member of the state or local Foster Care Review Board; a representative of a child welfare service agency that directly provides child welfare services; a young adult previously in foster care, and a representative of a child advocacy organization. Applications can be found at: http://www.governor.nebraska.gov .

The Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee is accepting applications for the new Foster Care Review Committee, created by the passage of LB 998. The current eleven-member state Foster Care Review Board will be dissolved on July 1, 2012, and the new five member Foster Care Advisory Committee will take over on that date. The Governor will receive a list of applicants submitted by the Health and Human Services Committee, and will choose three members from a list of twelve local board members; one member from a list of four persons with data analysis experience; and one member from a list of four persons who are residents of the state and representatives of the public at-large. The deadline for submitting a letter of application and a resume is Friday, May 25, 2012. If you are interested in being appointed to the new Foster Care Advisory Committee, you will find the application at www.nebraskalegislature.gov, go to REPORTS, under STANDING COMMITTEES, click on Health and Human Services, and you will see: application for appointment to the Foster Care Advisory Committee. Nominations will be screened by the Health and Human Services Committee. Names will be forwarded by the Committee to the Governor for his consideration.

Tuesday, May 15th, is the date of the 2012 Nebraska Primary Election. I would like to take a moment to encourage everyone to get out and vote on that date. There many candidates running for numerous positions throughout Nebraska, including U.S. President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Nebraska Legislature (there are 4 in District 17), city councils and some that I have not mentioned.  President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “the future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.” Men and women throughout our Country’s history have fought and died to protect the freedoms we hold dear, including the right to vote. Voting is one of the best ways we can honor our American patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, so we have the freedom of speech and the freedom of expression. Please make sure you let your voice be heard on May 15th.  You have options to vote early if for some reason you can’t be at the polls on MAY 15th.  You can get details on these options and voting locations from your county clerk.  It has always been my contention that if you decide not to vote, you should not complain about the way “the government” acts.  Your chance to effect the government that affects you is TUESDAY, MAY 15th. YOU should be there. 

Kelsey Bousquet, a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is completing an internship at the Nebraska State Capitol in the offices of Senator Dave Bloomfield (District 17 – Dakota, Thurston and Wayne Counties) and Senator Bob Krist (District 10 – Douglas County). She observed the Legislature while they were in session as well as attended committee hearings.

Kelsey said, “Both of the Senators have shown phenomenal leadership at the Capitol and in their districts. They have taught me many skills that will be beneficial in my future work.” Kelsey has also spent time shadowing legislative writer JoAnne Young from the Lincoln Journal Star. Kelsey said, “Observing JoAnne has been an awesome experience as well as great exposure to the work I may be doing in the future.” Kelsey is Majoring in Hospitality, Tourism and Management, with an emphasis on Public Relations. Her Minor is in Business Administration and Leadership.

During her internship, Kelsey was able to meet and interact with many state senators, met heads of various state agencies, attended a bill signing with Governor Dave Heineman, participated in several luncheons and watched the senators work with their constituents. She has first-hand knowledge of the day-to-day events in the offices of state senators while the Legislature is meeting in Lincoln.

Senators Bloomfield and Krist have enjoyed having Kelsey at the State Capitol. Kelsey was very dependable, interested in learning as much as possible, and cheerfully and skillfully completed every task assigned to her. Both Senators wish her the best of luck as Kelsey approaches her senior year of school at the University of Nebraska and in her future endeavors.

Kelsey is a life-long resident of Dakota County. She is the daughter of Tom and Diane Bousquet of rural Dakota City.

The 2012 legislative session is over, and unless there is a special session, the Legislature will not convene again until next January. The Legislature wrapped up its 60-day session on April 18th, with the majority of the day being spent on dealing with the Governor’s vetoes of four different bills. At the end of the day, two vetoes were overridden and became law: LB 357 – allows an increase in city sales tax with the approval of the voters in that city, and LB 599, provides prenatal care for low-income women who do not qualify for Medicaid assistance (including women who are not in this Country legally). Two vetoes were sustained and will not become law: LB 806, would have allowed parimutuel wagering on historic horse races and LB 1020, would have helped fund school-based health centers. I originally voted against all four bills on Final Reading, and continued voting against all the veto override motions. The two vetoes that we were not able to sustain will, I believe, cost you the taxpayer more money.

Overall, 2012 will be remembered as a productive session. Let me share a few of the highlights from the last four months in the Norris Legislative Chamber.

Most notably, five child welfare bills that were prioritized by the Health and Human Services Committee, of which I am a member, were all passed and signed into law. These bills dealt with returning case management to the state from private contractors, creating the position of Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare, create the Nebraska Children’s Commission that will, during the interim, study the current child welfare system in Nebraska to develop a strategic plan for the future. Changes were made to the foster care program, including changes to the Nebraska Foster Care Review state board and interim executive director, studying the foster care system and developing a fair, statewide program to properly reimburse our many dedicated foster parents. Several other bills passed that also deal with child care. I think this is the most important thing we have done as lawmakers this year.

A scaled-down yet important tax relief package was passed (LB 970), which allows lower and middle income earners to keep more of their money. We were not able to get rid of the inheritance tax, or the do anything with the corporate income tax laws.

The truancy laws were changed under LB 933. Children with excused absences will now be treated differently than those children who are unexcused..

Oral cancer treatments will be treated the same as intravenously administered or injected cancer medications on cancer insurance policies following the passage of LB 882. This relatively new and successful method of treatment is much easier for the patient.

The three bills I introduced this year were all passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Heineman. LB 723 made a technical change in the Nebraska Safe Drinking Water Act. LB 1083 ensures that licensed nurses can take care of family members in their homes for pay. LB 1122 highlights the importance of private duty nurses and the quality of services provided in home health care in Nebraska.

Governor Dave Heineman held a private signing ceremony for my priority bill, LB 907, on Wednesday, April 18th. This bill makes changes in the tractor testing laws and will help both farmers and equipment dealers in Nebraska. LB 907 also acknowledges the good work done at testing labs such as the one on the University of Nebraska East Campus.

My staff and I will continue to be available during the interim period. It is my intent, just as I did last year, to continue with this weekly “newsletter” to help keep you informed as to what is going on in your State Capitol and around District 17. Please feel free to call the Lincoln Office, 402 – 471 – 2716, or email me at: dbloomfield@leg.ne.gov, if we can be of assistance.

Only one day of the 2012 legislative session remains. State Senators will return to Lincoln on Wednesday, April 18th, to wrap up all remaining business. Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood sets the calendar for the session, and decided to move the last day from this week until next week. This was done so that the Legislature will have all of the bills already passed this year back from Governor Heineman. (The Governor has five calendar days, not counting Sundays, to decide what action to take on bills that have been passed by the Legislature. A governor can: (1) sign the bill, (2) veto the bill, or (3) let the bill become law without a signature.) By the time session reconvenes next week, State Senators will know which bills have become law and which bills were vetoed.

At the time this week’s newsletter was written, two bills have already been vetoed. The Governor has promised a veto on a third bill.

LB 806 would give the State Racing Commission the authority to license and regulate pari-mutuel wagering on historic horse races. The machines used for wagering would be placed only at a licensed racetrack. I have opposed this bill because I believe it is an unconstitutional expansion of gambling, which the citizens of this state have always in the past opposed at the ballot box. The bill received 26 yes votes on Final Reading, and will require 30 votes to override the Governor’s veto. I will continue to vote against LB 806.

The second bill that has been vetoed is LB 357. This bill would allow an increase of the city sales tax by a half-cent if approved by the voters of that city. I voted against this bill because it is a state authorized increase in sales taxes imposed on people who may not even live in the city where the taxes are collected. Those who live outside of the city are not allowed to vote for or against the increase. Thirty Senators voted for this bill, and that is the number needed to override the Governor’s veto. I will continue to oppose this bill. Hopefully, we can convince at least one more Senator not to vote for increased taxes. Somewhere, sometime, city, county and state officials have to understand that we as citizens have already been taxed more than enough.

The third bill that has been promised a veto by Governor Heineman is LB 599. This bill would provide prenatal care for the unborn children of low-income mothers, including illegal immigrants, who are not eligible for coverage under Medicaid. I have received many emails and phone calls on this bill, which remains the most controversial of the session. Some people support the bill because they see it as a pro-life bill. Others support the bill because they believe the state could potentially save money by providing medical care for possible future Nebraska citizens (anchor babies). These good hearted people claim to be operating under the illusion that we would be treating only the unborn baby and not the mother who may be here illegally. Many Nebraskans oppose LB599 because they see it as tax dollars needlessly and unwisely being spent.

I have opposed LB 599 because the State of Nebraska does not now and is NOT required to provide care to this group of women. Various churches and charities have stepped up and assisted pregnant women who fall into this category. I believe these private entities will continue to assist these women particularly if LB 599 does not become law. No state which borders Nebraska provides this type of care for people who are not in the state legally. I don’t think we should allow Nebraska to become a “magnet” for illegal aliens by joining the shortlist of mostly liberal states that force taxpayers to provide this service. I fully expect to lose some support from some “right to life” constituents over this issue, but as I have told you in the past, while you may not always agree with me, I will do my best to let you know where I stand, and why.

Once again, I ask for your prayers as the Legislature decides these issues. I guess no one ever told me that it would always be easy.

Three days remain in the 2012 legislative session. The last few days have been long and somewhat contentious, but most of the priority bills selected by senators and committees have been discussed and have received a vote.

LB 907, my priority bill, has been passed by the Legislature on Final Reading with a vote of 46-0. The bill would change provisions on the agricultural tractor permitting process, and continue the sales tax exemption on all tractors permitted in an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test station. The only one of these labs in the United States is located on the East Campus of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. I believe this bill will help both farmers and equipment dealers by allowing the sale of tractors that currently cannot be sold in this state. Under this bill, tractors under 100 horsepower not tested at the OECD lab can now be sold in Nebraska, although there is no sales tax exemption for a tractor that is not permitted.

Both of my bills that recognize the service of private duty nurses and home health care passed on Final Reading. Both LB 1083 and LB 1122 received 45 votes, and now are awaiting action by the Governor. (LB 1083 clarifies language that licensed nurses may care for family members in their homes for pay. LB 1122 instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to give full and deliberate consideration to the role of home health services from private duty nurses in meeting the needs of a disabled family member or disabled person.)

Various taxation issues have been discussed this year, and controversy has followed each bill through the legislative process. LB 970 is Governor Heineman’s tax cut proposal, which would amount to a small cut for lower and middle income taxpayers, has been passed on Final Reading. I did support this bill.

LB 745, as discussed last week, will allow for a new or increase to an existing occupation tax, but would require a vote of the people if the annual increase is over a certain amount depending on the size of the city. This bill was passed by the Legislature, and is awaiting action by the Governor. I supported this bill, too, after amendments requiring voter approval.

LB 357 is a third tax bill, which would allow for a one-half-of-a-cent increase in the sales tax within a city with voter approval. Cities would be allowed to use this new revenue for infrastructure, including new streets. I opposed LB 357 because I believe this bill clearly amounts to a tax increase on people other than those residing in the city, who would have no vote. This amounts to our old nemesis: taxation without representation. The bill was passed by my colleagues on Final Reading. Governor Heineman has promised a veto LB 357 when it reaches his desk, and I will support his veto.

All of the major child welfare bills (LB 820, LB 821, LB 949, LB 961, and LB 1160) have been passed by the Legislature, and await action from the Governor. I am very pleased that many of the Health and Human Services Committee and the entire Legislature’s priorities have passed. The Department of Health and Human Services will now have a very clear indication of the direction they must go to better take care of our children who are state wards.

Voter ID requirements, occupation taxes, bath salts, two nursing bills and selling scrap copper were issues heard by State Senators this week.

The Legislature debated LB 239 for six hours this week. This bill would have required voters to show a government issued photo ID when voting. Because of numerous amendments (one of the tools used in a filibuster), the sponsor of the bill asked for a cloture motion after a total of eight hours of debate, which stops debate instantly. (If there are 33 votes, then senators vote on all amendments then the bill without further discussion. If there are less than 33 votes, the bill is removed from the agenda.) There were only 29 yes votes for cloture, so this bill moves to the bottom of the list of bills on general file, and probably will not be discussed again this year. I did support the motion for cloture and LB 239. I do expect that we will see similar legislation again next year.

Voters will have a say in the future on new occupation taxes or increases in occupation tax rates. If LB 745 is passed by the Legislature, a vote will be required for each new or increase in the occupation tax if the annual increase is (1) $6 million for Omaha, (2) $3 million for Lincoln, (3) $700,000 for first-class cities, and (4) $300,000 for second-class cities. A city or village would not be required to hold an election to change the rate of an occupation tax for a specific project if the proceeds do not go to its general fund, or to terminate an occupation tax earlier than the original date given to the voters. I supported this bill on General File (round one), after a number of amendments. I want to thank Lance Hedquist, City Administrator of South Sioux City, and Ken Chamberlain, Mayor of Wayne, for their input and guidance on this bill.

The issue of so called “bath salts,” which are synthetically produced designer drugs that exist solely for the purposes of getting children and young adults high, was amended into a bill that was sitting on Select File (second round of debate) this week. LB 670 now becomes a bill that adds the drug commonly known and sold as bath salts to the Uniformed Controlled Substances Act. (It was originally introduced by Senator Ken Schilz as LB 814.) If passed and signed by the Governor, the bill would make it a Class IV felony to possess bath salts and a Class III felony to manufacture or traffic bath salts.

Two of the three bills I introduced this year were debated and are now sitting on Final Reading (third and final round of debate). LB 1083 would ensure that licensed nurses can take care of family members in their homes and receive compensation. I believe current law already allows this practice. I am aware, however, of a situation in which a mother (who is a LPN) has been told she can no longer take care of her severely challenged son in her home (after five years of doing so) and be paid for those services through Medicaid funds. This bill simply clarifies current statute language.

LB 1122 would require the Department of Health and Human Services to give full and deliberate consideration to the role of home health services from private duty nurses in meeting the needs of a disabled family member or disabled person when making cuts in Medicaid. I believe that the state must place an enhanced value on medical services to assist the elderly, sick and disabled citizens to stay their homes as long as possible before they move to care facilities. The home is usually the most cost effective for the state and the best place for the person receiving services.

In a move that, in my mind, does nothing but adds further restrictions and increases the cost of doing business, the Legislature moved ahead on a bill that will require buyers of scrap copper to mail a check to the seller by U.S. Mail, prepaid if the amount is over $100.00. The idea behind LB 1049 is that this will discourage theft. I don’t think so. Sellers of scrap copper already have to have their drivers license copied and be fingerprinted. I think we have once again poked our legislative nose somewhere it doesn’t belong.

There are still many bills to debate before April 12th, the end of the legislative session. Please continue to contact me with your thoughts and concerns as we wrap up our work in Lincoln (402 – 471 – 2716 or dbloomfield@leg.ne.gov).

The state budget, tax cuts, and historic horse racing, are among the many topics of discussion this past week. Legislators spent eight legislative hours amending the budget again this week. The main changes were the addition of $10 million to the special education fund. Unspent money from three funds, amounting to approximately $7.5 million, was also discussed thoroughly, then transferred into the general fund. With these changes, the three budget bills advanced to Final Reading, or the third round of debate. If the bills survive final reading, the Governor will then have five days to look over the budget. If he chooses to, he can make line-item vetoes to appropriations for various items. The Legislature can then attempt to over-ride any vetoes, if we so choose.

Much discussion occurred over LB 970, also known as Governor Heineman’s tax-cut package. The bill, as originally introduced, included corporate tax cuts and removal of the “inheritance” tax. These proposed cuts did not survive the hearings in the revenue committee. Additional changes were made by amendment, reducing further the cuts hoped for in income tax rates. What has survived thus far will be a small cut for lower and middle income taxpayers. While this certainly is not the tax cut I had hoped for, it is still a cut and a step in the right direction. Please remember that other states are still trying to raise taxes, and only God can know what the “feds” are trying to do. As I have said before, IT IS GOOD TO LIVE IN NEBRASKA! I support these cuts and will work toward making more cuts next year.

LB 806, a bill introduced to allow betting on historical horse racing in Nebraska, was debated and advanced this week. The bill would allow for parimutuel type wagering, only at race tracks, on machines showing horse races from the past. The names of the horses, the race location, nor the date of the race would be known to the person placing the “bet” on the machine. Only a few seconds at the end of the race will be shown on the machine. Proponents argue that LB 806 is a jobs bill that would help to revive the horse race industry and save more than 3,000 Nebraska jobs. Their idea is that part of the proceeds from these machines would be used to help increase the “purse” at live racing there by attracting better horses and more people, and that would make for an increase in live racing dates. Opponents claim that the historical horse race machines expand gambling, and Nebraska voters have voted several times to oppose expanded gambling.

LB 806 advanced to round two on a vote of 26-18 after seven hours of debate. A filibuster will probably continue on Select File, and 33 votes will be needed once again to stop debate and vote on the advancement of the bill. I am personally truly conflicted on the gambling issue; while I don’t think gambling is a wholly legitimate way for the state to raise money, I do think people who want to throw away their money probably should have that right. I wish the gambling industry would quit trying to hide their intentions. If they are convinced that we the people of Nebraska have changed our minds about expanded gambling, they should bring forth an outright gambling bill again. I do see LB 806 as expanded gambling and therefore probably unconstitutional.

We seem to be rushing to an early spring, please be careful not to overdo, and remember also, slow moving farm equipment is again going to be on our roads and hi-ways. Agriculture is our most important industry, and the experts are “ramping up” again, so they can feed the world.

The State budget was the main theme of the week, and a very thorough discussion is under way in the George Norris Legislative Chamber. The three budget bills (LB 131, LB 968, and LB 969) have all made it through General File (or first round debate). Senators spent all day Friday debating LB 131, which did advance from Select File (round two) to Final Reading (third and final round of debate). Many amendments remain on the other two budget bills before they can be advanced Final Reading. Then, Governor Heineman will decide which measures to sign into law and which he will veto out of the bills. (The Governor can veto individual spending items in each of the appropriations bills. However, when bills pass that change state statute, the Governor only has the option to sign the entire measure or veto everything contained in the bill.) The debate on the budget will continue on Monday. As I have said in the past, and will continue to remind you every once in awhile, “IT IS GOOD TO LIVE IN NEBRASKA.” While our budget is frugal, we are actually discussing a TAX CUT package – not an increase.

Governor Heineman has requested that a tax cut proposal be introduced this legislative session. LB 970 was advanced this week from the Revenue Committee to the floor of the Legislature. It would give $148 million in tax relief over the next three years through reductions in the amount of income tax paid by working Nebraskans. The problem State Senators face is that this proposal was not part of the budget package advanced to the Legislature by the Appropriations Committee. Other programs already included in the budget package may need to be trimmed, or more money might be needed from the State’s cash reserve fund to pay for the tax cuts found in LB 970. It is not surprising that there are those who would like to kill the tax cuts in favor of more spending. I support the measure to cut taxes, something that is requested every year by the citizens of this state.  However, with the strong opposition that exists, it may not be possible to pass the full $148,000,000.00 package. I do remain confident though that we will see some tax relief.

Another big measure before the Legislature this week was the issue of child welfare. Five bills have been advanced to Final Reading to address some of the issues that have come to light during the attempt to privatize services. Another problem that occurred during privatization is that some main (“lead”) contractors were unable to fulfill their obligations to their subcontractors. When privatization began, there were five main contractors and many subcontractors in all areas of the State. Now, only one of the five main contractors remains. N.F.C. (Nebraska Families Collaborative) serves the Eastern area of the State (Omaha). Many of the subcontractors were paid only 35 cents on the dollar of what they were owed, even though many continued serving the children and families under their care at their own expense. A number of these subcontractors are within the 17th District. Because of the failure by the lead contractors to fulfill their obligations, some subcontractors were forced out of business.

The state claims bill, LB 1072 , includes $2.5 million to pay subcontractors who have asked the state for payment, since they were caring for state wards. They argue that the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) entered into flawed contracts that could not be fulfilled. DHHS chose contractors outside the competitive bidding process and did not monitor the contracts. Therefore, the subcontractors argue that the obligation goes back to the state to fulfill the promises to pay them what is owed. LB 1072 advanced on a vote of 34-0 to Select File, but more debate on these privatization contracts will take place next week. I personally believe that the state should make these payments. I think it is important that we, as a state, keep our reputation as someone it is safe to do business with. More importantly, I think we need to “make whole” these vital providers, so those who have survived this under-payment are available to provide much needed services to the children who, through no fault of their own, are “wards” of the State of Nebraska.

Tractor Testing, child welfare, foster care and gambling are just a few of the topics debated at the Nebraska Legislature this week. My personal priority bill, LB 907, was discussed and advanced to Select File or second round of debate on a vote of 30-0. LB 907 would change the permitting requirements on tractors under 100 horsepower, as well as continue the sales tax exemption on agricultural tractors permitted for sale. Currently, all tractors over 40 horsepower must be tested at an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test station. (Nebraska is the only state in the nation with such a lab, located at the East Campus of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.) LB 907 raises the horsepower requirement for testing from 40 HP to 100 HP. A sales tax exemption continues on any tractor under 100 HP that is permitted by an OECD lab (as well as all tractors permitted over 100 HP). The University of Nebraska staff at the tractor testing lab support these changes, and so do the equipment dealers of the state. I believe this bill improves the business opportunities for equipment dealers in Nebraska by allowing them to better compete with neighboring states. It also helps our Nebraska farmers by allowing them to buy the tractors they want from Nebraska businesses.

The five child welfare bills (outlined in my newsletter last week) were debated again this week on Select File, and then all were advanced to Final Reading. They will need to survive one more vote by the Legislature before becoming law, then move over to the Governor for his approval or veto. Another bill related to these five bills is LB 998, which would make changes to the State Foster Care Review Board. LB 998, introduced by Senator Bob Krist, would change the name of this agency to the Foster Care Review Office. The bill would eliminate the current eleven member governing board, and replace it with a new five-member board. The new board would hire an executive director. All other staff and property of the current agency would transfer over to the Office. The intent of this bill is to ensure communication between this agency, which has critical information on our children in state care, and the Legislature. State Senators need accurate numbers concerning case reviews, as well as reliable tracking of our children through the foster care system. This bill, an important part of the legislative reform process underway regarding the welfare of our children, easily advanced on a vote of 43-0.

Two bills have been selected as priorities that deal with the subject of gambling. LB 1067 would allow a county, city, or village to make changes to the operation of keno games. Under current law, a keno operator must wait five minutes in between keno games. This bill would allow a choice between 3, 4 or 5 minutes in between keno games. After a lengthy discussion, the bill was five votes short of the 25 required to advance to round two. LB 1067 will probably not come back up for discussion this year. The other gaming bill is LB 806, also known as the historic horse racing bill. It would give the State Racing Commission the authority to license and regulate parimutuel wagering on historic horse races. Debate has begun on LB 806, and there are currently seventeen amendments pending on the bill. It remains to been seen if the supporters of the bill can find 33 votes to stop debate after eight hours and vote on its advancement.