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Editorial
How many laws do we really need?
Friday, February 4, 2011
The rule of law, yes, but in a note closer to home, how many laws do we really need?
As one online reader observed about the Nebraska Legislature, "17 legislative days and introduced 698 bills! My god folks, get a grip!! That's 41 ... bills introduced every day! And you wonder why people are saying we are being OVER REGULATED!"
The frustrated reader has a point. Somehow, we have come to rate our representatives by the number of bills they introduce for consideration, rather than just how they vote on important bills others have introduced.
Perhaps part of the answer lies in a couple of measures that would reduce the amount of time lawmakers spend in Lincoln.
A proposed constitutional amendment by state Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha would reduce the maximum number of days for regular legislative sessions from 90 days to 60 days in odd numbered years, and from 60 days to 45 days in even-numbered years.
Another proposed constitutional amendment by state Sen. Pete Pirsch of Omaha would see the Legislature convene for regular sessions every other year, in odd-numbered years only, instead of every year.
If enacted, the proposals would be put to Nebraska voters.
We hope that if their time in session would be reduced that drastically, state senators would limit their bills to those truly needed and worthy of consideration.