Tom Carlson Legislative Newsletter

Legislative Newsletter

Senator Tom Carlson-District 38

May 13, 2011

The budget bills were passed on Final Reading and sent to the Governor last week. The hard work of the Appropriations Committee, along with the fact there are no extra dollars to spend, made the first and second rounds of debate go rather quickly. The legislature took the situation of dwindling tax receipts to heart and made cuts where necessary to pass a balanced budget without raising sales or income taxes.
A bill making its way through the legislature is LB 684, introduced by Senator Schilz of Ogallala. I spoke on the bill during the second round of debate. The bill would create a Travel and Tourism Division Advisory Committee within the state Department of Economic Development.
The committee would develop a statewide strategic plan to cultivate and promote tourism, which is a $3.8 billion industry in our state. Nebraska hopes that due to higher gas prices, more residents will vacation closer to home. While this bill will not directly affect that effort, we always need more ways to encourage resident and visiting travelers to leave the interstate and enjoy our great state.
Lightweight, low speed electric cars will be allowed on some Nebraska roads under LB 289, now on Final Reading. The bill would let so-called “neighborhood electric vehicles” onto streets with a posted speed limit of less than 35 miles per hour. The vehicles must be four wheeled, weigh less than 3,000 pounds, and only reach speeds between 20 and 25 miles per hour. Drivers would be required to carry liability insurance, register the vehicle, and have a valid driver’s license. All vehicles purchased after January 1, 2012, would need a title.
Margo and I were in Arlington, Virginia, May 5th and 6th, for the annual conference of the Animal Agriculture Alliance. Members came from all segments of animal agriculture and have a goal of seeing meat production be well managed, profitable, and expanded to help fulfill our mission to feed the world.
We believe in the humane and proper raising and treatment of animals. In that point we agree with the animal activists. However, animals are not people with the same rights as human beings. Animals are property, and we strongly believe that status should not change.
We, in Nebraska, have appropriate oversight and regulation enforcement through the Department of Agriculture. Outside groups are unreasonable in their efforts to substantially change our way of livestock production. We can’t let them be successful.
I spoke for 25 minutes on the subject of animal activism and the harm it imposes on animal agriculture. Our mission to help feed the world is a noble mission. We must be successful and we must not be sidetracked by groups that have opposite views.

Senator Tom Carlson-District 38

May 6, 2011
The budget was the main topic last week in the legislature. Senator LaVon Heidemann, the chair of the Appropriations Committee, conducted an early morning briefing for senators and staff before the debate began. His committee worked hard all summer and fall to forward a bill with details of the next two year, $7 billion budget. The eight bills comprising the budget passed the first round of debate in less than four hours of discussion.
During the comment time of the briefing, I tried to make it clear that, in my opinion, as the economy improves we should rebuild the cash reserve to about $700 million before we increase spending.
During the debate an amendment to add unexpected cash receipts over the next two years to the cash reserve also passed. A $300 million cushion for the 2013-15 budget years might be realized if the Economic Forecasting Board is correct in its assumptions about the economy. The cash reserve is vital to Nebraska’s state budget. Senator Heidemann stated that a reserve of $700 to $800 million is the amount needed to be appropriate when crafting a state budget.
The reserve we had in Nebraska made the past biennial budgets work with few department cuts and no tax increases. Nebraskans are able to “tighten their belts” and make the best use of the money available when times are tough. However, most of the reserve is now expended. I have visited with legislators from other states in my role as chair of the Ag Committee. Nebraska is in very good shape compared to most, again due to the cash reserve and also to our Midwestern values.
We voted 44-0 to override the Governor’s veto of LB 600. The bill was strongly supported in District 38 and I appreciate those who contacted my office in regard to the over ride. LB 600 will cause nursing facilities to pay $3.50 per day per patient to the state. The money will then be leveraged for additional federal dollars. The bill is a way to return federal dollars to the state and control costs for both Medicaid and private pay patients. Long term care facilities will receive back $2.60 for every dollar paid to the state.
Nursing facilities do not profit under LB 600, they merely lose less. State reimbursement to private providers has been hit hard by the budget cuts I previously mentioned. The legislative Health and Human Services Committee has worked hard to find dollars where ever they can to ease the pain of these budget reductions.
A second veto override attempt that created a lot of discussion was LB 204, introduced by Senator Council of Omaha. The bill would have required blood tests for children attending public and parochial schools to determine their exposure to lead based paint.
There were exceptions to the testing if certain physician’s statements were provided or the testing would conflict with religious beliefs. I voted for the measure, but it failed on a vote of 21-20. Override motions require 30 votes.