Over the Fence
A bi-weekly newsletter from Senator Tom Hansen
thansen@leg.ne.gov

April 20, 2012
FINAL NEWSLETTER

The last day of the 2012 legislative session consisted of motions to override the Governor’s vetoes. The unsuccessful ones were LB 806 – which would have put historical horse race betting machines at Nebraska race tracks; and LB 1020 – proposed to have the State Department of Education (NDE) to annually award grants to school districts for the establishment of school-based health centers. The successful ones were LB 357 – which gives communities an option for an additional one-quarter or one-half cent sales tax on top of the 1.5 cents already allowed, if voters approve; and LB 599 – allows Nebraska to continue to offer prenatal services to unborn children of low-income women.
After the nine outgoing Senators gave their final goodbyes, we adjourned Sine Die.

Highlights of the session included passage of:
An overhaul of the state’s child welfare system. The bills that do just that include: LB 821 – creates a Children’s Commission and inspector general for child welfare; LB 1160 – a data and reporting system; LB 820 – increases foster parent payments and licensing changes; LB 949 – a requirement for more transparency and reporting on child welfare spending, financial benchmarks and a strategic plan; LB 961 – a requirement to bring case management in most of the state under the department and put caseload standards in place; and LB 998 – eliminates the 11-member state Foster Care Review Board and creates a five-member committee to work in tandem with the foster care review office.

LB 1161 will allow Nebraska to proceed with a $2 million study to find a route for TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline through the state.

LB 612 gives victims of childhood sexual abuse in Nebraska more time to sue their assailants.

LB 473 gives counties the power and duties to carry out a management program to help control prairie dogs.

LB 905 makes changes to the Nebraska Wheat Board checkoff; and LB 1057 changes the Nebraska Corn Board checkoff to one half cent per bushel.

LB 882 allows that oral chemotherapy will be treated the same as intravenous cancer treatments for insurance purposes.

LB 933 was meant to build on a truancy law passed in 2010. Complaints had been made that families had been hurt by the law, which requires that more than 20 absences (excused or nonexcused) in a school year be reported to the county attorney. The bill will allow schools to decide whether to report excused absences.

Two measures meant to help entice a billion-dollar data center to Nebraska: LB 1118 – makes changes to the Nebraska Advantage Act for data center projects that will invest $200 million and hire at least 30 new employees; and LB 1043 allows public power districts in the state to negotiate electric rates that are below the standard retail rate.

A sales and use tax exemption for biochips was passed in LB 830.

A proposed constitutional amendment – LR358CA – will ask voters whether to extend term limits for state senators from two consecutive four-year-terms to three.  LR373CA will ask voters to decide whether to raise senators’ pay to $22,500 a year. The current salary of $12,000 was set in 1988.

LB 861 allows cities to permit alcohol sales before noon on Sundays. Currently, Nebraska cities can choose to allow the sale of beer and wine, but not liquor, between 6 a.m. and noon on Sundays. They can allow the sale of all types of alcohol after noon.

LB 970 was the Governor’s tax cuts for the middle class.

LB 804 changes provisions relating to justification for use of force – also known as the Castle Doctrine.

LB 807 changed provisions relating to disposition of firearms seized or held by a law enforcement agency and concealed handgun permit applications and revocations.

We also passed and balanced the state’s budget. The three budget bills were:
LB 131 which transferred $1 million from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and also transfers $80 million from the Cash Reserve Fund to be used for specific University of Nebraska and Nebraska State Colleges capital construction projects and also for a state contribution to the Centennial Mall project. LB 968 appropriates $10 million to special education; cuts unspent funds of $245,000 from Community Corrections; eliminates $2 million in Medicaid with no reductions in benefits or services. LB 969 cuts $2.8 million in unneeded final payments from the EPIC funds.

And finally, all three measures that I introduced were passed and signed by the Governor. LB 860 a bill I introduced on behalf of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office changes the number of hours needed to obtain a computerized voice stress analysis license; LB 1030 requires a motor vehicle driver to stay at least three feet away when passing a pedestrian, bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device; and LB 1066 (which became part of the mainline budget bill) appropriated money to fund the Veterinary Diagnostic Center at the University of Nebraska. Also, a bill I designated as my personal priority bill and introduced by Sen. Cornett also was passed. LB 799 increases the penalty for child abuse.
Even though the Legislature has adjourned and I will now be spending more time back home in the district, my legislative office will continue to be open for business. If you call (402-471-2729), my staff will be glad to answer your questions or direct you to where they can be answered. If you email me thansen@leg.ne.gov, I will contact you as soon as I can.

Have a wonderful summer….Stay in touch!

Over the Fence
A bi-weekly newsletter from Senator Tom Hansen
thansen@leg.ne.gov

April 5, 2012

We are heading into the final days of the 2012 legislative session and what an eventful week it has been!

First, the Governor signed all three of the budget bills (LB’s 131, 968, and 969). We were successful in overriding his line-item veto of LB 1072, the bill that would have paid $2.4 million of claims submitted by subcontractors of the Boys and Girls home. And after many hours of debate, LB 239, the bill that required a government-issued ID to vote in elections, failed on a cloture motion, and so LB 239 will not be back on our agenda this session.

Speaker Flood noted that he may change the end date for the last day of the session, for Final Reading passage thus allowing the Governor to veto any bills and making it possible for Legislature to override them.

BILLS PASSED INTO LAW INCLUDE:

LB 66 clarifies provisions as to who is responsible in collecting DNA samples from felons.

LB 357 authorizes a one half percent increase in local option sales and use tax.

LB 799 (my priority bill) increases the penalty for child abuse committed negligently resulting in serious bodily injury to a Class IIIA felony and increases the penalty for child abuse committed negligently resulting in death to a Class III felony. A Class IIIA felony carries a maximum of five years imprisonment or $10,000 fine or both; a Class III felony carries a maximum of twenty years imprisonment or $25,000 fine or both and a minimum of one year imprisonment.

LB 804 changes provisions relating to justification for use of force – also known as the Castle Doctrine.

LB 806 authorizes the State Racing Commission to regulate wagering on historic horseraces.

LB 820 creates the Title IV-E Demonstration Project Committee and the Foster Care Reimbursement Rate Committee, provide a temporary foster care stipend, and change foster care licensure requirements.

LB 821 creates the Nebraska Children’s Commission and adopts the Office of Inspector General of the Nebraska Child Welfare Act.

LB 825 establishes local offices for access to public benefit programs.

LB 830 provides a sales and use tax exemption for biochips.

LB 845 provides reclamation requirements for the Oil Pipeline Reclamation Act.

LB 882 will allow oral chemotherapy to be treated the same as intravenous cancer treatment for insurance purposes.

LB 905 makes changes the Nebraska Wheat Board checkoff.

LB 933 changes provisions relating to truancy.

LB 949 requires reports and a strategic plan by the Division of Children and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services.

LB 961 changes provisions relating to case management, caseloads, contracts, and contract extensions for child welfare services.

LB 970 is the Governor’s tax cuts for the middle class.

LB 972 changes provisions relating to youth rehabilitation and treatment centers.

LB 985 provides for a juvenile justice pilot program, which will include Lincoln County.

LB 996 changes provisions relating to compulsory attendance.

LB 998 creates the Foster Care Review Office and eliminates the State Foster Care Review Board.

LB 1030 my bill I introduced on behalf of several constituents in my district, would require motor vehicle drivers when passing bicyclists, pedestrians and personal assistive mobility devices, a minimum of three feet clearance.

LB 1039 helps clarify when a driver is required to stop when encountering a school bus.

LB 1053 creates the Nebraska Tourism Commission and transfers powers and duties from the Travel and Tourism Division to the Department of Economic Development.

LB 1057 changes the Nebraska Corn Board checkoff to one half cent per bushel.

LB 1063 clarifies the meaning of the term medically necessary for the purposes of the medical assistance program for children under twenty-one years of age.

LB 1080 provides a property tax exemption and a sales and use tax exemption relating to data centers.

LB 1090 provides for the awarding of grants and the distribution of information relating to the Summer Food Service Program by the Department of Education.

LB 1115 authorizes construction and operation of natural gas pipeline facilities by jurisdictional utilities.

LB 1145 changes the penalty for pandering and creates a task force and requires training of certain officials regarding human trafficking.

LB 1160 requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop an information system and provides for reports and an evaluation.

LR 358CA a Constitutional Amendment changes legislative term limits to three terms instead of the current two. Will be placed on the ballot for voters to decide.

LR 373CA a Constitutional Amendment changes the annual legislative salary to $21,500 from the current $12,000. Will be placed on the ballot for voters to decide.

BILLS ADVANCED TO THE FINAL STAGE OF DEBATE:

LB 599 provides prenatal care to mothers who lost Medicaid coverage in 2010, including undocumented mothers.

LB 793 limits frivolous civil actions filed by prisoners.

LB 807 changes Concealed Handgun Permit Act application provisions.

LB 928 provides for mountain lion hunting permits and a deer donation program.

LB 1161 changes provisions relating to oil pipelines and provide for an evaluation of routes.

Our office will be closed on Good Friday and the following Monday for the Easter holiday. Have a Happy Easter!