Courtesy Photo / Nebraska Legsislature
State Senators Jen Day, right, and Carol Blood submit paperwork during Thursday’s session.
Unicameral Update
The Nebraska Legislature reconvened Thursday to begin introduction of new bills.
Among the 98 proposals were:
LB15, introduced by Albion Sen. Tom Briese, which would change provisions of the Wage and Hour Act;
LB17, introduced by Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, which would authorize possession of a firearm on school grounds by a full-time, off-duty law enforcement officer;
LB22, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, which would decriminalize use and possession of marijuana;
LB31, introduced by Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, which would require train crews of at least two individuals as prescribed;
LB36, introduced by Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington, which would change individual income tax brackets and rates;
LB40, sponsored by Bellevue Sen. Carol Blood, which would adopt the Riparian and Water Quality Practices Act;
LB45, sponsored by Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, which would create the Revitalize Rural Nebraska Grant Fund;
LB50, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Suzanne Geist, which would change criminal justice provisions including set asides, restitution and parole; create criminal justice pilot programs; terminate an oversight committee; and create a task force;
LB52, introduced by Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, which would change the amount of tuition credits available to National Guard members;
LB57, sponsored by Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, which would adopt the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act;
LB64, introduced by Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, which would require the state Department of Health and Human Services to provide notice in certain cases of child abuse and neglect;
LB71, introduced by Bellevue Sen. Rita Sanders, which would change provisions relating to parental involvement in and access to learning materials in schools;
LB77, introduced by Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, which would provide for carrying of concealed handguns without a permit, change provisions relating to concealed weapons and prohibit certain regulation of weapons by cities, villages and counties;
LB81, introduced by Grand Island Sen. Raymond Aguilar, which would change the number of county judges in Buffalo and Hall counties; and
LR2CA, introduced by Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a proposed constitutional amendment to change from a unicameral legislature to a bicameral legislature, provide for election of members of the Legislature on a partisan ballot, require election of legislative officers and committee chairpersons by public vote and require all meetings of the Legislature to be open to the public.
A complete list of bills introduced thus far is available at NebraskaLegislature.gov. New bills may be introduced for the first 10 legislative days, or until Jan. 18.
