Helmet bill falls short

Friday, January 12, 2018

McCOOK, Neb. — State lawmakers feeling optimistic about this year’s effort to repeal the state motorcycle helmet law were once again disappointed Wednesday when legislation fell three votes short.

During his weekly conference call to the McCook Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning, Dist. 44 State Sen. Dan Hughes said lawmakers spent about six hours debating the bill, LB 368, before coming up short of the needed votes for cloture.

“Not surprising but disappointing for me,” said Sen. Hughes.

Nebraska is one of 19 states that require all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Senators who sought the repeal cast it as a matter of personal freedom, while those who support the current law defend it as a way to ensure rider safety.

Lawmakers have debated the issue for more than two decades. The sponsor of this year’s bill, Sen. John Lowe of Kearney, previously said he thought he had the 33 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster.

Sen. Hughes said he didn’t know what happened to what initially looked like a promising situation for senators prioritizing the helmet repeal. He suggested that some legislators were not honest about their stance before the vote.

“It’s frustrating to me when you do a vote count that people don’t stick to their word. I do not do that. If I give you my word that’s what it is. If I have to change it I will come and tell you,” said Sen. Hughes, adding he didn’t know if those situations stemmed from flipping positions or perhaps not remembering a previously made commitment, but he also realized “none of us are perfect.”

Responding to a question from City Councilwoman Janet Hepp on the number of bills that returned from last year, compared to newly introduced bills, Sen. Hughes said there are issues that have been around seemingly forever. He listed the motorcycle helmet debate, the death penalty, medical marijuana and Medicaid expansion, as issues which have come back several times.

“But there are also new bills. The one that tickles me is the bill by Sen. Blood that prohibits you from using Bitcoins to pay for prostitution. That is a new bill. I don’t know what her thought process is for bringing that but it is illegal regardless of how you pay for it,” said Sen. Hughes.

Sen. Hughes referred to LB 691 introduced by District 3 State Sen. Carol Blood of Omaha, a McCook-born Carol Vacek. Sen. Blood’s LB 691 would adopt the Nebraska Virtual Currency Money Laundering Act and define and redefine terms under the Nebraska Money Transmitters Act, according to the Nebraskalegislature.gov website.

Sen. Hughes said legislators will often bring back bills they are passionate about several times, as well as introduce new bills primarily with the intent of spurring public conversation on a topic.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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