Eagle Forum Newsletter
March 1, 2019 by Kathy Wilmont
Kwilmont@atcjet.net 308-340-3987
Please pay close attention to this week’s newsletter. We had included information to cover the next two weeks. With an arm surgery next week, it may be very inconvenient to try to type! By clicking on a bill you have been following that has already had a hearing, you can find whether that bill have moved out of committee. It will also reveal how the committee members voted. Once out of Committee, check the Legislative calendar – or call the bill sponsor – to ask when the bill will be scheduled for debate on the floor. When the bill moves from Committee, you will want to contact all Senators to let them know whether you support or oppose. Thanks!
Upcoming hearings for the next 2 weeks include:
LB 689 (Cavanaugh) Judiciary Committee 3/1 Hearing If passed, Landlords or sellers would be prohibited from discriminating based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and citizenship status would be a protein protected class. Oppose
Judiciary Committee: tbrandt@leg.ne.gov; wdeboer.leg.ne.gov; slathrop@leg.ne.gov; amorfeld@leg.ne.gov ; ppansingbrooks@leg.ne.gov; jslama@leg.ne.gov; jwayne@leg.ne.gov
Senator Ernie Chambers does not have an e-mail address
LB 401 (Quick) This bill is the Adopt the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact. According to the bill, this would promote development and implementation of improvements to intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest, coordinate interaction among midwestern state elected officials and designees on passenger rail issues and promote development and implementation of long range plans for high speed rail passengers service in the Midwest and among other 13 regions of the United States. Just exactly what you’ve been wanting to spend your tax dollars on, I’ll bet! Among other things, a commission would be established for individuals to work out all the details and partnerships with various state and other entities. Just what we need. More bureaucracy. Given the population explosion we’re having here in Nebraska, I’m sure no one would be able to get around the state or nation without this high speed passenger rail. The hearing is March 5 with the Transportation/Telecommunications Committee. Oppose Here are two articles that expose the absurdity and expense of such ideas: Trains, not planes? The Green New Deal’s rail controversy and California’s high-speed rail is still on. But how can it move forward? If we can get high-speed passenger rail everywhere…perhaps we can ban automobiles and reduce our “carbon footprint” that Al Gore and others are so concerned with. Committee members: cfriesen@leg.ne.gov; sgeist@leg.ne.gov; jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov; bbostelman@leg.ne.gov; mcavanaugh@leg.ne.gov; wdeboer@leg.ne.gov; mhilgers@leg.ne.gov; dhughes@leg.ne.gov
LB 209 Require information regarding reversal of medication abortion (Albrecht) Judiciary Committee 3/20 SUPPORT
A very important Pro-Life bill. Several babies have been born-alive. Nebraska Eagle Forum
“The salvation of the state is the watchfulness of the citizens” because Mom found out she could reverse pills given to her that were intended to cause a chemical abortion! This bill would mandate that individuals would be given that information!
LB 176 Eliminate certain mandatory sentences (Chambers) Hearing Judiciary Committee 3/15
LB 131 Changes certain provisions of minimum sentences (Pansing Brooks) Hearing 3/15 Judiciary OPPOSE This bill reduces the amount of time an offender may be sentenced to and removes the possibility of a life sentence. OPPOSE
LB 89 Changes certain marijuana penalties (Wayne) Hearing 3/20 Judiciary Committee OPPOSE
LB 90 Makes post-release supervision optional for Class IV felonies (Wayne) Hearing 3/20 Judiciary Committee OPPOSE
LB 91 Provide for deferred judgments by courts as prescribed (Wayne) Hearing 3/20 Judiciary Committee OPPOSE
These 5 bills each reduce penalties for crimes. LB 91, for instance, would make it possible for the court to set aside judgement and/or probation for offenders. Again – criminals should face the consequences of their behavior…if they don’t, we believe they will continue to offend in most cases. Another “side effect” may be the possibility that individuals will eventually claim some judges are treating individuals and their crimes differently due to race, age, etc. That would cause additional problems for the state. Reducing the penalties for crimes has been a movement in the Legislature for several years. This is also an attempt to avoid dealing with “overcrowding” of our prison system. They would rather “save the money” instead of build additional facilities – and instead, turn the criminal onto the streets for you and your children to deal with. NOTE: Judiciary Committee members are listed above. Write to each of them.
Recap of Unicameral action this week:
LB165 (Hunt) Education committee heard on 2/26 – Adopt the Too Young to Suspend Act -The purpose is to prohibit early childhood education in kindergarten students from being suspended or expelled from school except in very limited circumstances. Be sure to monitor whether bill remains in committee or whether the Committee votes it to the floor. Ed Committee Chair: mgroene@leg.ne.gov
LB 492 (Wayne) Urban Affairs Committee 2/26 Hearing – Adopt the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act – According to this bill, passenger, truck and pedestrian traffic on streets in metropolitan areas here in Nebraska are causing severely congested situations that are hazardous to the lives and property of pedestrians and individuals traveling in private and public vehicles. This bill continues efforts to move people from private transportation to public transport.
Chair: jwayne@leg.ne.gov
LR8CA (Linehan) Revenue Committee had a 2/27 Hearing – this resolution is for an amendment to the state constitution to place limits on increases to property taxes. We recommend reading the resolution and weighing in through written testimony. For land owners and farmers, this resolution may not be a solution to the ever increasing property taxes. Chair: llinehan@leg.ne.gov
LB 132 and LB 133 were heard 2/27. Judiciary Committee. Both bills would result in lessening penalties for criminal action. LB 132 would change penalties for certain felonies committed by persons under the age of 19. LB 133 Changes provisions related to structured programming and deferral of parole. Criminals would not be required to face the consequences of their behavior. Anyone, including your children and grandchildren must learn there are consequences to behavior. If they bills move from Committee, it will be important to begin contact all Senators to request a NO vote. You can e-mail or call Senators.
LB 369 (Vargas) was heard 2/28 (Judiciary Committee) if passed, this will tie the hands of jails, law enforcement agencies and the Nebraska State Patrol. These agencies would be mandated to provide public notice before entering into agreements to enforce federal immigration law. Continue to monitor whether this bill moves from Committee to the floor for debate. Oppose LB 54 (Lowe) Judiciary Committee was heard 2/28. This bill changes provisions to carrying a concealed weapon. Places into statute the ability to transport a firearm if the firearm is unloaded in any case. The case is also defined. Support Vigorous testimony was heard at the Tuesday hearing of LB 161 to eliminate Learning Communities. A target population of learning communities is for families and children as young as 3 months old. Testimony revealed the annual budget for the learning communities in Douglas and Sarpy County is approximately $10.2 million per year. Study results published by those learning communities, reveals very little to no progress has been made by students over the past 10 plus years. In addition, we found it startling when a testifier stated that while touring a Learning Community site, she observed students being “studied” by UNL students remotely via monitor. What type of studies? Where parents informed? Did parents give permission? Where does that data go? Parental and student rights and privacy must not be violated. Students should not be treated as “laboratory subjects”. Nor should taxpayers be required to finance children being used as “guinea pigs” for educational studies. Continue to contact senators and ask that this legislation be passed. We must stop the waste of our tax dollars. LB 498, introduced by Sen. Wishart, was heard on 2/22. Senator Kavanaugh was openly contentious with an individual who opposed the bill. If passed, this bill pours more money into family planning, providing birth control, IUD’s and would also obligate coverage of any damaging side effects. Health and Human Services committee. Oppose If you have not submitted your comments, we still encourage you to express your opposition to each of the committee members. Committee members are: showard@leg.ne.gov; jarch@leg.ne.gov; bhansen@leg.ne.gov; dmurman@leg.ne.gov; lwalz@leg.ne.gov; mwilliams@leg.ne.gov; mcavanaugh@leg.ne.gov
Always include your name, mailing address; specify whether you support or oppose the bill AND request that your written testimony be included in the official record of the hearing. Remember: Your statement must reach their offices before 5:00 p.m. the working day prior to the hearing. We suggest sending a separate e-mail for each bill to all of the Committee members.
For timely information and alerts, check out Nebraska Eagle Forum on Facebook! Join Nebraska Eagle Forum today by sending your name, address, e-mail address and $10.00/year to Nebraska Eagle Forum P.O. Box 165 Beaver City, NE 68926. Help us protect our Constitution, our freedoms and the values we hold dear. Or e-mail neeagleforum@gmail.com or call Kathy Wilmot at 308 340-3987.