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Rotunda Archive
April 9, 2010
The Nebraska Hospital Association – Nebraska's influential voice for health
care.
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NHA Advocacy Action Center
NHA Bills of Interest
Summary
Nebraska Legislature online
E-mail your state senator
Contact the Nebraska Governor
Contact Nebraska's Congressional Delegation
The Unicameral Web
site has been redesigned and includes comprehensive information about the
senators, bill status, legislative calendar and news.
If you have questions or concerns about any state legislation,
please contact Bruce Rieker, Vice President, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or
brieker@nhanet.org.
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NHA legislative update
LINCOLN—The following "bills of interest" to NHA members have advanced. The NHA's position is listed behind each bill number,
as well as the bill description and current status.
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LB 420 - (Support) Change a sales tax exemption relating to nonprofit organizations.
Placed on Final Reading on 4/8/10.
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LB 622 - (Monitor) Provide time limits and penalties for late workers' compensation medical payments.
Filed with hearing date on 4/7/10.
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LB 706 - (Monitor) Provide fees for competency assessments of hearing interpreters. Passed on
Final Reading on 4/9/10.
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LB 742 - (Monitor) Provide requirements for settlement agreements involving public entities and provide that such agreements are public records. Signed into law on 4/6/10.
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LB 780 - (Support) Change Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act provisions relating to personal injuries.
Presented to Governor on 4/9/10.
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LB 800 - (Neutral) Provide methods of early intervention for children at risk.
Placed on Final Reading on 4/6/10.
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LB 849 - (Monitor) Change provisions relating to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Presented to Governor on 4/9/10.
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LB 872
- (Support) Change applicability of a medical fee schedule relating to
workers' compensation. Passed on Final Reading on 4/9/10.
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LB 884 - (Support) Require employers to provide employees with wage and deduction information as prescribed.
Passed on Final Reading on 4/9/10.
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LB 908 - (Monitor) Change workers' compensation provisions relating to claims for legal services or disbursements.
Passed on Final Reading on 4/9/10.
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LB 935 - (Monitor)
Provide for deficit appropriations and change certain appropriations. Signed
into law on 4/1/10, became effective on 4/2/10.
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LB 945 - (Support) Prohibit use of handheld wireless communication devices while driving.
Presented to Governor on 4/9/10.
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LB 961 - (Support) Provide for economic development training grants and change job training grant provisions.
Presented to Governor on 4/9/10.
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LB 999
- (Support) Provide a moratorium on new hospital licenses and a study on
health care. Advanced to Final Reading on 4/9/10.
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LB 1002 - (Monitor) Provide for applications to the Commission on Indian Affairs for state assistance.
Placed on Final Reading on 4/6/10.
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LB 1055 - (Monitor) Change provisions relating to extended unemployment benefits.
Passed on Final Reading on 4/9/10.
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LB 1094 - (Monitor) Adopt the Nonrecourse Civil Litigation Act.
Presented to Governor on 4/9/10.
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LB 1106 - (Support) Provide for school-based health centers under the Medical Assistance Act. Signed into law
on 4/1/10 and became effective on 4/2/10.
Click here to view the NHA 2010 Bills of Interest Summary. For additional
legislative updates, visit www.nhanet.org.
If you would like to share your perspective on a particular bill, please contact Bruce Rieker, Vice
President, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or
brieker@nhanet.org.
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Nebraska Hospital Association, April 9, 2010
WASHINGTON—A bill that would provide a sales tax exemption for health care clinics owned by a single nonprofit hospital was amended April 8 to take effect in 2013.
LB 420, introduced by Kearney Senator Galen Hadley, would permit nonprofit health clinics and health care practitioner facilities owned by at least one nonprofit hospital to claim a sales and use tax exemption. Current statute requires that eligible clinics be owned by two or more hospitals or parent corporations.
Read more.
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Unicameral Update, April 8, 2010
Senators give 2nd-round OK to abortion bill
LINCOLN—A measure that would implement first-of-their-kind restrictions to ban abortions at 20 weeks of pregnancy has received second-round approval in Nebraska.
Lawmakers voted on the measure (LB 1103) on Friday. It is expected to get final approval and be signed by Gov. Dave Heineman within several days.
It would limit abortions based on assertions fetuses feel pain at 20 weeks. Current restrictions in Nebraska and across the country are based on the ability of a fetus to survive outside the womb.
Read more.
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Lincoln Journal Star, April 9, 2010
Nebraska lawmakers pass texting-while-driving ban
LINCOLN—Nebraska lawmakers gave final-round approval to a bill that would make texting while driving a crime, but not one big enough to get drivers pulled over.
The bill (LB 945) passed Thursday would make texting while driving a so-called secondary offense, much like the seat belt law.
Drivers would have to be pulled over for primary offenses, like speeding, before they could be ticketed for texting.
Read more.
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Lincoln Journal Star, April 8, 2010
Bill lengthens Medicaid fraud statute of limitations
LINCOLN—The criminal statute of limitations for submitting false Medicaid claims increases from three to five years under a bill given final approval April 9.
LB 809, sponsored by Senator Kent Rogert of Tekamah, applies to crimes where the value of benefits sought or obtained through fraudulent means is $500 or more. The extended statute of limitations will apply to offenses committed prior to the effective date of the bill.
LB 809 passed on a 47-0 vote.
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Unicameral Update, April 9, 2010
Omnibus health bill approved
LINCOLN —Lawmakers gave final approval April 8 to a bill that makes various changes to health and human services provision in Nebraska.
LB 849, sponsored by Papillion Senator Tim Gay, is the Health and Human Services Committee’s annual “clean-up” bill, which:
updates state law regarding references to the Federal Social Security Act;
transfers decision-making authority on appeals from a hearing officer to the director of the division of developmental disabilities; and
removes a requirement that governing boards for developmentally disabled specialized services include elected officials.
The bill was amended to include provisions from nine other bills.
Read more.
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Unicameral Update, April 8, 2010
LINCOLN—Senators gave first-round approval April 7 to a bill that would provide for a temporary moratorium on the issuance of new hospital licenses in Nebraska.
As introduced,
LB 999, sponsored by Lincoln Senator Kathy Campbell, would direct the state Department of Health and Human Services to not accept applications from or issue licenses to new hospitals from September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2012. The bill makes an exception for critical access hospitals.
Read more.
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Unicameral Update, April 8, 2010
WASHINGTON—The Obama administration is trying to make the nation’s new health care system user-friendly, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
said Tuesday, calling her department a “nationwide health insurance reform help
desk.” Read more.
— Politico, April 6, 2010
WASHINGTON—The Hill reports, "Fundamental changes to the federal budget will be needed to rein in unsustainable deficits, Congress’s budget watchdog said Thursday." The story notes that Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Director Douglas Elmendorf told reporters that "spending on Medicare, Medicaid
and Social Security, plus defense programs and debt interest, will exceed the
rest of the federal budget in 10 years" under the current formula.
Read more.
— The Hill, April 8, 2010
For more information about health-related
legislative bills or resolutions, contact: Bruce Rieker, Vice President,
Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or
brieker@nhanet.org.
NHA Rotunda Review is published by the Nebraska Hospital
Association, 3255 Salt Creek Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504. Phone (402) 742-8140,
Fax (402) 742-8191. Visit our Web site at
www.nhanet.org. Kelley Porter, editor, at (402) 742-8151, or email,
kporter@nhanet.org.
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