Little controversy in legislative week

This week passed by without much controversy. LB319 and LB155 were presented to the Natural Resources committee. Senator Moser introduced LB319 to make minor changes to statute governing the Department of Natural Resources’ policy of notices, rules, and regulations. Senator Brewer’s LB155, which I highlighted in last week’s article, strikes one sentence from law which currently enables private renewable energy companies to use the governmental power of eminent domain to connect to the electricity power grid.

Other more controversial topics that were heard last week were LBs 167 and 168. Both of these bills deal with conversion therapy. The Judiciary Committee heard testimony well into the night last Thursday. LB 168 will be withdrawn. I have had several emails asking me where I stand on these two bills and my answer is I am opposed.

This week I am introducing two bills to committee. The first and most notable is LB227. In the office, we refer to this bill as the Right to Farm. This bill will be introduced to the Agriculture Committee on February 12. A farm or grain warehouse which makes changes that are not significant will continue to have the right to operate. This addition to current statute allows farms and grain warehouses who manage nuisances reasonably to change hands, adopt new technology, and make changes to stay competitive in the agricultural market.

My second bill, LB719, will also be introduced on February 12th in the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. Currently, scrap recyclers and junk and salvage yards are required to surrender titles for junked motor vehicles to the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. In addition to this reporting, scrap recyclers and junk and salvage yards are required by federal law to report their full inventory of all junk or salvage motor vehicles obtained in whole or in part to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). LB719 would make Nebraska the first state to allow scrap recyclers and junk and salvage yards to streamline both reports to the DMV who will then report on to NMVTIS. This will eliminate duplicative reporting requirements for scrap recyclers and junk and salvage yards.

If you would like to speak directly to me about legislative issues, join the Great Plains conference call Tuesday at 8 AM CST and McCook Chamber Conference call Thursday at 8 AM CST. 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.