Eighteen amendments, 667 bills introduced

Wednesday, Jan. 18 was the last day to introduce legislation. There were 667 bills and eighteen Constitutional Amendment's introduced this year. I introduced 11 bills on various topics related to District 44. The entire list of introduced bills are on the Legislature's website (www.nebraskalegislature.gov). The total number of bills introduced is slightly less than we are normally used to but I think this may be attributed to the projected budget shortfall. Several of the bills this year have been introduced before; cigarette tax increase, repealing the death penalty, hunting mountain lions, and Medicaid expansion. One of the proposed rule changes would be to minimize the ability to filibuster. The press has inferred to the public that the legislative body has increased the amount of time spent filibustering lately, but if you look back to recent history you will usually see that it is the same bills being filibustered every time. Although, it may appear that the legislative body is being combative; history will prove that we are debating several of the same issues each year.

Two bills of great interest that I have introduced are LB 537 and LB 593. LB 537 would require drug screening for applicants and recipients of welfare.

This bill will be heard in front of the Health and Human Services Committee. I am looking forward to my first time before the HHS Committee. The second bill would create the offense of criminal trespass to vehicles. I worked closely with McCook Police Chief Ike Brown to ensure that this bill was done correctly the first time. I also ran it by multiple law enforcement groups in the area. This bill will be heard in front of the Judiciary Committee.

Of local importance, my next two bills LB 317 and LB 318 are scheduled to be heard in front of the Urban Affairs Committee and the Government, Military, and Veteran Affairs, respectively. LB 317 provides for a levy or reassessment of a special assessment for cities of the second class or villages.

The background of this bill stems from a discovery made by the City of Imperial while reviewing statutes, that a city of the second class or village does not have the same authority as a first class city, primary class city, or metropolitan class city to re-levy or reassess a special assessment. LB 317 will give all other class of cities the authority to re-levy or reassess a special assessment. LB 318 will authorize telephone conferencing for meetings of the Nebraska Brand Committee. The state agencies that already allow the telephone conferencing are; the educational service unit, member educational service units, community college board of governors, public power district, public power and irrigation district.

I always enjoy hearing from the Nebraskans I represent. Please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns that you might have.

My email address is dhughes@leg.ne.gov and my phone number is (402) 471-2805.

You can read more about bills and other work of the Legislature at www.nebraskalegislature.gov, and you can click on the Live Video Streaming NET logo to watch sessions, hearings, and other Capitol events.