'Choose life' license plate debate continues

McCOOK, Neb. -- State lawmakers seemed to be making progress last Friday on the more than 600 bills introduced this session before starting a debate on "Choose Life" license plates that was still continuing as of today.

District 44 State Sen. Dan Hughes said some seven bills were passed on Friday prior to the license plate debate, adding none of the bills were of big significance. Legislators then took up LB 46, which intends to provide the option of a Choose Life license plate for an additional $5 fee. The added fee is to be credited to the Nebraska Child Abuse Prevention Fund, according to the bill's statement of intent.

"We're still on that as of today," said Sen. Hughes this morning during his weekly legislative conference call with the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce.

"Sen. [Ernie] Chambers and others have filibustered that bill," explained Sen. Hughes. He also said there was ultimately overwhelming support for the cloture vote to end the filibuster and thought the Speaker of the Legislature would force a vote on the bill today.

A bill Sen. Hughes and McCook Chief of Police Isaac Brown worked together to create may have received too late of a hearing date to advance this session. The bill, LB 593, adds the offense of criminal trespassing in vehicles to state criminal code and is scheduled for a March 22 hearing with the Judiciary Committee.

"Unfortunately it has a very late hearing date and I don't want to spend my priority on something with such a late hearing," said Sen. Hughes, adding it made it easier for opponents of the bill to lock it up in committee. He indicated he was still mulling what bill to place his priority on and would be making that decision very soon.