2008 Nebraska State Legislature

[Coyote]

Unicameral To Tackle Cash, Water, Death Penalty

Water, cash and the electric chair are some of the top legislative items Nebraska senators will tackle when the new session gets under way on Jan. 9. Last week, state schools said they will need an additional $53 million, and senators said that will put a big bite in any extra money the state finds lying around.

In a short 60-day session, senators will be asked if the state fair should be moved, whether to ban human cloning and whether to repeal the death penalty. Term limits makes this Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers last session. "I can't imagine Ernie Chambers fading gracefully off into the sunset," Avery said. "I think he's going out in a ball of fire."

[Coyote]

Nebraska Legislature '08: Road work funding is unresolved

Gasoline tax hikes or general treasury spending appear to be the most popular approaches for Nebraska lawmakers weighing options for resolving a looming shortfall in state highway construction dollars. Lawmakers ranked road spending as one of the top issues facing them during the 2008 session.

It would be historic for Nebraska to begin using general funds for road construction. The state has long relied upon a user-fee philosophy in which fuel taxes, automobile sales taxes and vehicle registration fees are earmarked for road construction, while general funds are used for general purposes.

[DTO Luv]

Maybe encourage things that make people not use the roads so much. This is one of the main things I hate about Nebraska. Omaha gives a bunch of money away to do thousnads of miles of road repair between towns with sparse and shrinking populations. We can't sustain it.

[Coyote]

Smoking ban to be debated in Legislature

Nebraskans should learn quickly whether public buildings and workplaces across the state will be required to go smoke-free. The Legislature is expected to resume debate on a proposed statewide smoking ban early in the lawmaking session that begins next Wednesday. Lawmakers could cast a deciding vote on Legislative Bill 395 before the end of January.

The World-Herald's annual pre-session survey of Nebraska lawmakers suggests that a vote on a statewide ban will be close.
Twenty-one state senators responding said they favor a ban on smoking in workplaces and public buildings across Nebraska. Seven senators said they would support a ban only if local communities could opt for less restrictive measures. Five opposed a statewide ban. The deciding votes will be cast by 16 senators who said they were undecided, who didn't answer or who didn't participate in the survey. It takes 25 votes to pass a bill in the Nebraska Legislature.

[OmahaJaysCU]

If the city gets the ball rolling on this stadium, would they try to get an LB500 type bill proposed?

[Coyote]

As Big E suggests let us continue the Smoking Ban discussion here:

Nebraska Smoking Ban Discussion

[Coyote]

Death penalty fight brews

Death penalty opponents began a new push Monday to get the Legislature to repeal Nebraska's capital punishment law in the 2008 session. They may face a tougher battle than they did in 2007, when lawmakers debated repeal for the first time in nearly 20 years but fell one vote short of advancing a repeal bill on first-round debate. This year, 26 state senators — more than half of the 49-member Legislature — said in The World-Herald's pre-session survey that they supported the death penalty.

Right now the OWH Poll has: Do you think Nebraska's capital punishment law should be repealed?
•  Yes. (475)
•  No. (1126)
•  I have no opinion. (37)

This could be an interesting short session.

[Brad]

Bill would ban smoking in vehicles when children present

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10228946

LINCOLN — Nebraskans should put out their cigarettes before climbing into their cars — at least when children are riding in the same car, a state lawmaker said Thursday.

State Sen. Gwen Howard of Omaha introduced a bill to make Nebraska the latest state to ban smoking in motor vehicles when a person under age 16 is present.

The ban would apply whether the car windows were up or down.

Legislative Bill 836 would make violations punishable by a fine of $50 to $150. People could get the fine waived for a first offense by signing up for a smoking cessation program.

[Coyote]

Movie producer: Incentives would lure film projects to Nebraska

Nebraska native Dana Altman produces movies in the state because he has a vested interest -- six children and a wife here. But most filmmakers and studios don't, and Altman says the lack of financial incentives means they often bypass Nebraska. State senators gave first-round approval today to a measure (LB235) that provides for a cash rebate of up to 25% of production costs for films, commercials and television programs.

[Hooloovoo]

LB 1166.

FOR AN ACT relating to cities of the metropolitan class; to amend section 14-117, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, 2006; to provide for the extension of corporate limits into an adjoining county; and to repeal the original section.


Should be an interesting debate.

[Coyote]

Nantkes pulls back film-incentive bill

Several days ago, Lincoln Sen. Danielle Nantkes referred to her stalled movie-related bill as “The Never Ending Story.” On Tuesday, the story ended — after more than six hours of second-round debate, Nantkes asked that the measure (LB235) be pulled from the agenda until at least March 1. Nantkes told senators she didn’t have the 33 votes necessary to end a filibuster by Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers.

Opposing senators, like Chambers, didn’t want to spend any more money on tax incentives. “I don’t like any of them ... these boondoggles and scams,” he said. But Sen. Tom White of Omaha said senators’ opposition to the bill showed “lack of faith in the talent and ability of some extraordinary people who call this place home.”

[Coyote]

Bill would let Gering, Scottsbluff merge

The mayors of Scottsbluff and Gering drove more than 400 miles Tuesday to the State Capitol to ask lawmakers for the means to turn their two towns into one city. "It's two cities, but it's one community," said State Sen. Phil Erdman of Bayard, who introduced Legislative Bill 1056 to create a merger mechanism.

One of the sticking points would be what to name the merged town. "Therein lies the big fight," said Barb Netherland, executive director of the North Platte Valley Historical Association/Museum.

Gering was the first town to be established, in 1887. Founder Oscar Gardner had a hunch that the Union Pacific Railroad would build a line along the south side of the North Platte River. His hunch was wrong. The Union Pacific line veered through Sidney and Kimball. It was the Burlington Railroad that arrived in the area first — on the north side of the river. That led to the establishment of Scottsbluff in 1900, Netherland said.

Papillion and La Vista officials say they are not interested in merging.

[DTO Luv]

How dare Scottsbluff be able to take over defenseless Gering. What about the schools? One city, one school district?

[almighty_tuna]

Gering will lose its small town appeal for sure.  The Scottsbluff Mafia will move in and crime will skyrocket.

[Big E]

Gering will lose its small town appeal for sure.  The Scottsbluff Mafia will move in and crime will skyrocket.

Does Gering even have a water tower to repaint?  I was thinking about moving to Gering because I don't want anything to do with Scottsbluff.  This ruins all that.

-Big E

[joeglow]

Gering will lose its small town appeal for sure.  The Scottsbluff Mafia will move in and crime will skyrocket.

Does Gering even have a water tower to repaint?  I was thinking about moving to Gering because I don't want anything to do with Scottsbluff.  This ruins all that.

-Big E

Gering has was there 150 years ago, whereas Scottsbluff is only 149 years old.  Thus Gering would be EXACTLY what it is today with or without Scottsbluff, as it is older.