Opinion

Session continues to gain steam

Friday, April 8, 2005

As the session continues to gain momentum, only prioritized legislation, in addition to the budget bills, will potentially make its way through the legislative process. Legislative bills that are stranded in committee, unless indefinitely postponed prior to Day 90, will carryover until next year's second half of the session. This will hold true for other bills which remain at various stages of debate.

A brief summary of the week includes big issues and little funding. Discussions on Monday afternoon focused primarily on Medicaid. This big ticket-item that provides services to many individuals across the state continues to increase drastically in costs. Long-term speculation of the program's funding needs estimates a majority consumption of our state's budget. Legislative Bill 709, introduced by Senator Erdman, would adopt the Medicaid Reform Act if passed into law. Subsequently, the bill would require a study to examine these growing costs. After significant debate, much skepticism, and several amendments, the bill advanced to Select File during the second day of deliberations.  

There has also been much discussion this week pertaining to Legislative Bill 689, which was presented to members of the body late on Tuesday. This bill would create the Distance Education Enhancement Task Force to develop an improvement plan to upgrade and coordinate distance education in our state. The bill to study this issue was advanced to the second stage of debate. However, the coordinating appropriation bill that started out with a $10,000,000 price tag to implement recommendations was amended and advanced on Wednesday to allow only $10,000 to aid in carrying out the provisions of LB 689.

The growing enrollment of community colleges took us to yet another level of funding dilemmas on Wednesday. As the state's budget has undergone a continued decline in projected revenues, community college regions have been able to compensate for lost state aid by raising property taxes for the past two fiscal years. Legislative Bill 38, introduced by Sen. Raikes and prioritized by Sen. Engel, would extend this levy authority for the next three fiscal years. The bill was advanced from General File with a vote of 30 ayes and 10 nays.

Popular agenda items that should be reached for debate next week include LB 70, which would change and eliminate provisions relating to motorcycle safety and helmets, and LB 454, which would adopt the Concealed Handgun Permit Act.

Senator Tom Baker

Legislative District 44

State Capitol Building

P.O. Box 94604

Lincoln, NE 68509

402-471-2805

tbaker@unicam.state.ne.us

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