NHA bills of interest advance
The following bills of interest to NHA members advanced during the final week of the 2007 legislative session.
- LB
97- Change provisions relating to the Concealed Handgun Permit Act to include hospitals as places where carrying concealed handguns is prohibited.
Sponsor: Sen. Mike Flood – Status: Signed into law
NHA position: Support
- LB 171 – Require HHS to apply for food stamp options and waivers.
Sponsor: Sen. Ray Janssen – Status: Advanced to Select File
NHA position: Monitor
- LB 246 – Requirements for coroners’ procurement of anatomical gifts.
Sponsor: Sen. Joel Johnson – Status: Advanced to Select File
NHA position: Support
- LB 247 – Change provisions relating to pharmaceuticals. This is the annual “clean-up” bill for the Pharmacy Practice Act.
Sponsor: Sen. Joel Johnson – Status: Signed into law
NHA position: Monitor
- LB 265 – Change provisions of the Employment Security Law to conform to federal mandates.
Sponsor: Sen. Abbie Cornett – Status: Signed into law
NHA position: Neutral
- LB 304 – Change tax credit qualifications for long-term care insurance.
Sponsor: Sen. Tim Gay – Status: Signed into law
NHA position: Support
- LR 10 – Urge congressional delegation to timely reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Sponsor: Sen. Joel Johnson – Status: Approved by the Legislature
NHA position: Support
High praise all around as 2007 legislative session ends
(Omaha World-Herald) – During the 90-day session that ended Thursday, many questions about the Nebraska Legislature's lack of experience fell by the wayside. Speaker Mike Flood, who had only two years in the Legislature himself, and his 48 colleagues tackled issues ranging from tax cuts to school organization. In doing so, some lawmakers say, the Legislature allayed concerns that – with 22 new lawmakers because of term limits – the body would be dominated by lobbyists and Gov. Dave
Heineman.
The governor's list included a bill reorganizing the State Health and Human Services System
(HHS). Flood said term limits made life more uncertain for lobbyists, who had to build relationships with many new lawmakers. Lobbyist Rich Lombardi said the turnover forced lobbyists to work harder than usual to inform senators about their concerns. The full effects of term limits won't be felt for two more years, some noted.
Sixteen veteran senators remained in this year's Legislature and held some key leadership positions. Legislative colleagues and outsiders alike said much of the credit for steering the senators through the roster of complex legislation goes to Flood. Flood - who turned 32 during the session - was the second-youngest person elected speaker in the history of the unicameral Legislature.
— Nebraska Chamber Daily Update, June 1, 2007.
Nebraska's freshman lawmakers called results oriented
It was the year of the rookie. Nearly half of Nebraska's lawmakers – 22 of the 49 state senators -- were newly elected after the first big wave of term limits cleared the decks. The newcomers undeniably changed the way business is done in the State Capitol. Political partisanship played a bigger tactical role in the officially nonpartisan Legislature. The importance of seniority waned. Policy decisions made years ago were questioned. Three-term Sen. Ron Raikes of Lincoln found himself having to defend "equalized" school aid, in which more state dollars go to schools with lower property tax resources. It has been state policy at least since 1990.
The governor and legislative speaker had stronger influence over legislative decisions. None of Gov. Dave Heineman's budget vetoes was overturned -- something that has happened only a handful of times in the past three decades. Gov. Heineman called the new lawmakers "results oriented."
Read the full Omaha World Herald article.
— Leslie Reed, Omaha World Herald, June 3, 2007.
Senators step aside until next session
Nebraska’s citizen legislators ended their full-time stint as state senators in Lincoln on Thursday and returned to their private lives — to relax, or earn a living.
Last week, senators and others involved in the daily operations of the 2007 session looked back at a pivotal year, the first in which term limits culled a number of veteran senators from the flock. And the newly elected crop, 20 senators with no experience and two who had served in earlier years, were the heroes of the session.
Read the full article.
— Nancy Hicks, Lincoln Journal Star, June 3, 2007.
Senators share lessons from session
You may think the learning curve was steep in the state Legislature this year because term limits brought in 22 new senators from all over the state. You would be right. But seasoned senators say they learned a lot, too.
In a survey, senators both new and experienced wrote about lessons this session — everything from the effects of term limits to the civility and collegiality on the floor to the importance of being prepared. Several mentioned the valuable instruction from the senior member of the Legislature, Ernie Chambers of Omaha, who has served 37 years.
“I learned and we all learned from Senator Chambers, who serenaded us, read poetry to us, wrote poetry, told biblical stories, recounted history, provided lessons in constitutional law and explained the rules and procedures of the Legislature,” said Lincoln Sen. DiAnna
Schimek, the second senior member with 19 years served. Read the full article.
— JoAnne Young, Lincoln Journal Star, June 3, 2007.
NHA Rotunda Review is published by the Nebraska Hospital Association, 3255 Salt
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http://www.nhanet.org. Christy Rasmussen, editor, at
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