Murman points to list of accomplishments

McCOOK, Neb. — A long list of accomplishments was highlighted by Sen. Dave Murman at Thursday’s legislative update sponsored by McCook Chamber of Commerce. On the final day of a session tainted with stall tactics employed by senators who opposed certain social-issue legislation, conservative senators prevailed with laws that will shape the lives of Nebraskans in the years ahead.

“Even though the session went very slowly and we didn’t get anything done for 70 days or so, in the last 20 days we did get a lot of big things done,” Sen. Murman said. “The thing I don’t like about this session is that the laws that we did get passed were mostly in large packages out of different committees, more like an omnibus bill. So they didn’t get as much debate as we have in the past.” Sen. Murman said some laws that were passed contained up to 30 bills.

Accomplishments touted by Murman included LB574, “Let Them Grow/Heartbeat Bill.” limiting gender-altering medical care to youth and abortion access for women. He was also pleased with school-choice legislation adopted which allows tax credits for scholarships to private K-12 institutions. Other items he mentioned were lowered income and property taxes, modifications to K-12 public school funding from the state, teacher recruitment, school safety allocations, and parent involvement legislation. He also touted a bill that promoted ethanol agriculture in the state and another bill that brought broadband regulations under a separate office overseen by the Governor.

Gov. Pillen used his line-item veto authority on several proposals, causing lawmakers to need 30 votes to overcome. In the end, only one veto was overridden, and increased funding for the State Auditor’s office, which is now headed by former Lt. Gov. Mike Foley, was reinstated.

Sen. Murman said he will be working on about 15 interim studies throughout the summer assigned to the Education Committee. Topics include studies about teacher retention, reducing property taxes, increasing parental involvement, school spending of federal funds, social-emotional learning, early childcare, superintendent pay, government-imposed mandates for schools, and educational service units.

The ACLU has filed the first legal challenge over the “Let Them Grow/Heartbeat” bill. The ACLU is representing Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and Dr. Sarah Traxler in the case.” Traxler is the chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood North Central States and a doctor who provides abortion services.

The lawsuit contends that language in the Nebraska constitution states that no bill shall contain more than one subject. The ACLU says they want LB574 declared unconstitutional on the basis that it pertains to two distinct subjects.

Sen. Murman told local constituents that most bills passed this session contained more than one subject. “There were bills in a lot of the other packages that were a lot less related than the two bills that were in 574. I think it will be fine as far as legal challenges goes, but if it doesn’t stand up in court, almost all of the packages passed this year won’t stand up either. So we’ll have a lot of problems.î Sen. Murman said the issue was reviewed by the Attorney General’s office before the two bills were combined, so he is confident that the law will stand.

Thursday was the last legislative update for this year.