Tom Carlson Legislative Newsletter

Senator Tom Carlson

Legislative Newsletter

-District 38

February 3, 2012
We have passed the one-third mark of this short, 60 day session. Committee hearings continue in the afternoon while we hold morning debate on hold over bills and those being advanced from this year’s hearings.
A bill that was heard last year in the Agriculture Committee was debated and advanced last week. LB 427, introduced by Senator Abbie Cornett, would require Nebraska commercial dog breeders to give their animals regular physical and dental exams, provide appropriate exercise areas, and use electronic microchips for identification.
Upon recommendation by the breeders, the bill also includes a section to deal with breeders who violate state regulations. It also clarifies steps the department of agriculture can take in denying licenses to breeders from out of state who have any history of law violation or animal abuse.
Dog breeder is defined as one who sells more than 30 dogs per year or owns four or more dogs with the intention to breed them for sale.
I introduced my priority legislation in front of the legislature’s Executive Board. Legislative Resolution 358 CA, meaning Constitutional Amendment, would increase the present term limits from two, four-year terms to three, four-year terms.
While term limits have positives such as new energy, new ideas, and preventing career politicians, I believe they also have negatives. The executive branch becomes more powerful, lobbyists can have more influence, and Nebraska senators have fewer opportunities to attain leadership positions in regional and national governing organizations.
The Unicameral is once again unique, in that term limited representatives can not run for the opposite house, as in done in many other states. The hearing was positive. There were proponent testifiers and letters of support at the hearing. No one came forward in opposition. This resolution will be on the November general election ballot if it is successfully debated and advanced from the legislature.
A constitutional amendment that is on Final Reading is one that would add Nebraska to a list of 13 states that make hunting, fishing, and trapping a right. Senator Ed Shrock first introduced this resolution in 2004. Senator Shrock at that time felt that organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States were a threat to outdoor activities. The bill eventually died.
Senator Pete Pirsch of Omaha brought LR 40 CA back last year and it was advanced on a voice vote this week. Senator Pirsch stated that Nebraska sportsmen spend $480 million dollars per year to hunt and fish. The ripple effect on the economy is $746 million per year. As with my proposed Constitutional Amendment, this bill will have to be approved by the voters of Nebraska.