Senator Mark R. Christensen

Letter Back Home

2-10-12

The 2012 Legislative session is nearly half over and the Speaker of the Legislature has asked for priority bills to be submitted. The deadline is by adjournment Thursday. This past week Legislative Bill 540 was debated and advanced on the floor and I would like to focus my letter back home on this bill.

LB 540 was advanced with Amendment 1729 to select file for further debate this past week. LB 540 is a bill that the Health and Human Services Committee introduced, if passed, it would require the Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a Medicaid waiver to extend family planning services to Nebraska Medicaid recipients whose income is above the current eligibility qualifications.

The HHS committee introduced this bill in light of several other states that have applied for a Medicaid waiver and claim a significant cost savings to their States budget. It is believed that such a waiver leads to the state paying for less unplanned births and prenatal care, in turn the savings being put towards Family Planning Care. In looking to provide solutions to Nebraska’s budget, many supporters contend that this will maximize family planning for women in Nebraska and decrease pregnancies and abortions. However, another concern is that such a bill would allow more funding for clinics that promote abortions.

I am not supportive of the original bill but I supported the attached amendment. Amendment 1729, introduced by Senator Tony Fulton, that was added to the bill and ensures that any funds received shall not be used or spent in any way to contract with any entity that performs or promotes elective abortions. Any organization that makes an overwhelmingly majority of their profits off of procedures that degrade the sanctity of life, I do not support and I will not support a bill that allows increased funding to such an entity.

I look forward to future floor debate with my bill LB 786, which is scheduled for debate sometime this week. LB 786, is a bill that will change forfeiture of office provisions for city council members in cities with city managers form of government. Other upcoming hearings for bills that I introduced include:

• LB 950, which Changes crediting provisions relating to reimbursement of certain assistance to natural resources districts as prescribed on February 15^th.

• LB1126 – Provides and change extraterritorial jurisdiction of a village on February 14^th.

• LB1125 – Changes provisions relating to natural resources district occupation tax on February 15^th.

• LB1127 – Changes provisions and penalties relating to issuing or passing a bad check or issuing a no-account check on February 16^th.

Questions or Comments? Contact myself or my staff at Senator Mark R. Christensen, PO Box 94604,Lincoln, Nebraska 68509, 402-471-2805.

 Senator Mark R. Christensen

Letter Back Home

2-3-12

On Thursday, February 2, 2012 Speaker Mike Flood of the Nebraska Legislature announced that Session would end early on Friday the 3^rd, due to the upcoming threat of extreme weather conditions. Hearings that were to be heard that afternoon have been rescheduled to have their hearings on Monday February 13, at 9:30 a.m. If you are ever planning on attending a hearing or an event at the Legislature, I encourage you to check the legislative schedule for any changes or cancellations. This week I would like to touch on two bills that deal with tweaking Nebraska Statute revolving around healthcare services, LB 646 and LB 677.

A bill I introduced, LB 646, was debated and passed on Monday, February 6^th. LB 646, is a health care related bill that changes the definition of emergency medical service from “immediate medical care” to “ medical care”. Currently Emergency Medical Service is defined as a an organization responding to a perceived individual need for medical care in order to prevent loss of life or aggravation of physiological or psychological illness or injury. Removing the word immediate will better reflect what they are doing now, which includes non-emergency settings. There are many instances when volunteer and paid EMS worker’s are on duty or on call at sporting events, hospital/nursing home transfers etc… and are ‘technically’ not responding to someone that may need “immediate medical care.” My bill would remedy the use of ‘immediate’ and prevent a EMS worker from potential liability.

LB 677 is a bill Senator Steve Lathrop has introduced and was debated on the floor this past week as well as advanced to select file. LB 677, in accordance with the Judiciary Committee amendment AM 1704, increases penalties for assault on a healthcare professionals while the health care professional is engaged in the performance of is or her official duties. AM 1704 redefines Health Care professional as “a physician or other healthcare practitioner who is licensed, certified, or registered to perform specified health services constant with state law who is practicing at a house or health clinic.” A sign requirements is also provided which warns of mandatory imprisonment upon an assault of healthcare professional while performing his or her official duties. Despite the invigorating floor debate regarding the imperfections of the bill, it does seem to hold some validity in protecting healthcare professionals that may be harmed by not only patients but family and friends in a health service setting. I intend on supporting this bill and look forward to the future debate of the bill.

Questions or Comments? Contact myself or my office at, Senator Mark R. Christensen, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509, 402-471-2805.