Knowing the facts before deciding a bill's fate

Last week I received a few phone calls and emails regarding LB 271. Sometimes there are groups that will intentionally try and get people upset without giving all the facts. So I appreciate it when constituents reach out to me to find out what I know about a bill. This is a bill that I listened to closely during the floor debate because if I only heard what the constituents reached out and told me, I’d be upset about this bill also. But once I listened to the floor debate and read the bill and the amendments I quickly realized that there was a lot of very good stuff in this bill. The program created in this bill, the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act, is actually a more strict way to deal with repeat drunk driving offenders. Not only does a person have an interlock device for the first 30 days, this would require them to get alcohol or drug tested twice a day. So if a person only had an interlock device they could choose not to drive that vehicle if they want to drink, but under this program, that person is tested twice a day no matter if they want to drive or not. This program is designed for repeat offenders as an alternative to incarceration. South Dakota has used this for quite some time and has found it very successful.

If I can stress one thing to people who read the bills, it would be to not only look at the bill that is introduced, but also read the amendments that are proposed and adopted. Amendments are usually a compromise. So, the bill can be changed dramatically. An introduced bill is usually the starting point, not always the ending.

Over the years I have received calls from constituents who have wondered why home inspectors did not have to be registered with the Nebraska secretary of state’s office. A bill that was recently advanced from Select File would change this. LB 423, introduced by Senator Steve Lathrop of Omaha, requires Nebraska home inspectors to register with the Nebraska secretary of state, pay a registration fee, and provide a certificate of general liability insurance of at least $250,000.

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. My office is in room 2108 at the Capitol if you are in the Lincoln area. 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 the session, hearings, and other Capitol events.