LB126 to have immediate local effect

State Sen. Tom Baker said this morning that the Legislature's passage of LB126, the bill that would close many of the Class I elementary-only schools in Nebraska, will immediately affect McCook-area District 8 and 41 schools.

"Neither school is more than 10 miles away from a Class III," Baker said during his weekly phone conference with members of the Legislative Committee of the McCook Chamber of Commerce.

The bill, as passed Wednesday, will protect Class I schools that are located more than 10 miles from the nearest Class III, Baker said, or in a situation in which a resident student would have to drive more than 20 miles if his/her Class I closed.

Baker said the two rural schools in Red Willow County, District 41 north of McCook and District 8 south of McCook, will be affected by the bill's distance requirement, student-per-class requirement and resident-student requirement.

"They don't meet distance, resident student or student-per-class requirements. The reality is," Baker said, "they will be covered by this bill."

Baker said Gov. Heineman will look at the bill today and let legislators know this evening or tomorrow morning whether he will sign it.

Baker admitted it's a political issue. "Maybe some people who support this bill should let the governor know that," Baker said. "The most vocal are the supporters of Class I's."

Baker said if Heineman vetoes the bill, legislators will act upon a motion to override Friday, the final day of the legislative session.

Sen. Baker said legislators will discuss campaign violations by now-Nebraska Regent Dave Hergert during a debate this afternoon. "I don't know how long this will go or where it will go," Baker said. "I hope this doesn't get to be a circus. I think it's been blown out of proportion now."

Baker said Hergert needs to come forward. "It seems it would benefit him, and salvage his credibility, if he came forward," the senator said. "Maybe he's waiting until our discussion today. I don't know."

Baker said possibly the best thing to come out of the situation is a good look at Nebraska's campaign finance laws, which he called, "fairly unworkable, very burdensome, and very complicated."

"I can see how someone can have problems with the deadlines," Baker said, especially considering mailing times across the state and the complicated nature of the laws.

The benefit of today's discussion may be the realization that the laws need to reworked or thrown out and rewritten, Baker said. "I think a lot can be resolved today."

Baker said his bill, LB 517 -- which would have make Nebraska's livestock brand inspection act applicable statewide -- has been held in Ag Committee and will be taken up next session.

The bigger issue this session, Baker said, was the beef checkoff, and LB 517 "got shoved to the back burner."

A second part of LB 517 was a request from the Nebraska Brand Committee of an increase in fees from 65 cents to 75 cents per head of cattle inspected, Baker said, and that was approved.

Changes in the brand inspection areas of the state would have to be handled by statute, Baker said, and it would involve almost the eastern third of the state and Furnas County.

"The Farm Bureau wants the whole state covered," Baker said, adding that he plans to talk with Furnas County cattle producers to see what they want to do.

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Baker said he also plans to talk with administrators of the Mid-Plains Community College Area about the need for and the creation of a motorcycle training certification course, possibly in McCook.

Nebraska and Missouri are the only states with mandatory motorcycle helmet laws, Baker said, yet they are also two states with high motorcycle fatality rates.

"Where we're falling down," he said, "is our lack of training (that would allow) riding without a helmet."

Baker said he is also aware that out-of-state bikers are upset that they have to wear helmets as they pass through Nebraska. "I heard this morning from a group of bikers in St. Francis, Kan., who said they'll ride around Nebraska to go to Sturgis," he said.

Baker chuckled at a suggestion of helmet-rental stations at Nebraska's borders.