Given the recent railroad derailments that have occurred in the area, it might be good to update everyone on LB37, the Railroad Safety Act. This bill is very similar to bills introduced in the past by Senator Lynn Walz. I introduced the bill on January 9, and it was referenced to the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on January 13. I have been working with the committee chair, Mike Moser, to schedule the bill’s public hearing soon. He has indicated that he plans to have the hearing in early March, but I am encouraging him to schedule it sooner. At this point, another Senator has already agreed to prioritize the bill, which allows me to keep my priority options open.

The bill, if passed, would do the following:

1. Prohibits blocking a public crossing for more than 10 minutes.
2. Prohibits obstructing a public crossing in a manner that delays an emergency vehicle in assisting a person or property in danger.
3. Requires each railroad to offer training to fire departments with jurisdiction along tracks every three years to address general hazards of dangerous goods and hazardous substances, techniques to assess risks posed to the environment and to the safety of emergency responders and the public, factors an incident commander must consider in determining whether to attempt to suppress a fire or to evacuate an area, and other strategies for initial response by emergency responders.
4. Provides protections to employees who report injuries or other violations.

The first two items do not apply if the train is continuously moving or if an event beyond the railroad’s control keeps a train, freight or passenger car, or railroad transportation engine from moving. Violations can result in fines up to $100,000.

The bill also allows a designated union representative receiving a report to enter a railroad’s place of operation during reasonable hours to investigate the report, provided that the union representative gives reasonable notice to the appropriate railroad officer.

Other bills of interest that will have been voted out of committee are the two bills dealing with daylight savings time. Although this seems like a trivial issue, there is good scientific evidence that changing our clocks twice a year has negative effects on our bodies.

The first bill, LB34, introduced by Senator Megan Hunt, moves us to year-round daylight savings time as long as the federal government allows for it and as long as three border states approve it. (I like the bill as long as it includes Colorado.) The second bill is LB302, introduced by Senator Dave Murman. This bill requires Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming to also make the change. Once again, Colorado is not included. I see this as a problem for those of us who live and work around the line separating Central and Mountain Time. Both bills were sent to the floor to let the body decide if we make a change. Although this is not the biggest issues we will deal with this session, I would be interested in hearing from you as to how you want me to vote on this issue. My preference at this time is to move to permanent Daylight Saving Time as long as Colorado also changes.

In the coming weeks we will be seeing more bills on the floor that will have significant implications. I will keep you informed as we move forward.

It is a privilege to represent you in the Nebraska Legislature, and I look forward to hearing from you regarding issues that are important to you. I can be reached at 402-471-2729 or by emailing me at mjacobson@leg.ne.gov.