Legislature passes four bills

This week saw the legislature pass the first four bills of the year. LB 376 would create a brand registration for the state Liquor Control Commission to accurately identify and track alcoholic products imported into Nebraska. LB 296 would both (a) create a framework for pet insurance and (b) require that the reimbursement rate for any telehealth service shall, at a minimum, be the same as a comparable in-person health care service in order to ensure there is no disincentive to health care providers to see patients in rural, sparsely-populated areas of the State. 

LB 775 would both (a) update the definition of licensed racetrack enclosure in the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act to include all real property licensed and used to conduct a race meeting and (b) grant the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission authority to recommend necessary updates to state law that it administers and authority to create an adjudication subcommittee to investigate and respond to violations of the gaming act.

Additionally, senators gave final-round approval to LB 77. This bill would provide for constitutional carry and allow residents to legally carry a concealed weapon without a permit in Nebraska. This law is intended to place legal firearm owners on a more level playing field with armed criminals, many of whom do not have a concealed-carry permit or are already prohibited persons. The concealed-carry permitting process will remain in place, a permit will just no longer be mandatory to concealed carry. LB 77 survived a filibuster on Final Reading and received cloture before being sent to the governor’s desk on a 33-14 vote. I am a co-sponsor of LB 77 and voted in support of this legislation.

Senators also continued to craft omnibus package legislation on the floor. First-round approval was given to one of the Health and Human Services Committee packages, LB 227. This bill would require the State to provide a per diem Medicaid reimbursement to a hospital for a Medicaid patient who is eligible for discharge after receiving care but is unable to be transferred to an appropriate nursing facility due to a lack of available nursing facility beds or in cases where the state court administrator is unable to appoint a public guardian.

Included in this legislation are provisions from one of my bills, LB 765. LB 765 would make changes to how the State Trauma Advisory Board and the Department of Health and Human Services deal with the state trauma rules and the four trauma care regions. The heart of LB 765 would replace the regional trauma advisory boards with regional trauma committees. It is felt these regional boards are largely redundant and that many of the duties and powers could be consolidated at the state level. The committee-type system would offer more flexibility for members than under the current board system. This bill would result in cost savings of $16,000 annually for the Department of Health and Human Services once fully implemented. The amendment containing my bill was adopted and LB 227 was moved to Select File on a 45-0 vote.

Other bills that moved this week include LB 254, LB 565, and LB 191. LB 254 would require the Legislative Council to develop and maintain a publicly accessible digital Internet archive of closed-captioned video coverage of the legislature. LB 565 would support Nebraska’s efforts to be selected as one of the six to 10 regional clean hydrogen hubs to be designated by the U.S Department of Energy. LB 191 would require workers’ compensation first reports of injury to be withheld from the public, with certain designated exceptions, for a period of 60 days from the date of their filing.

Feel free to call my office anytime at 402-471-2801 or email me at [email protected]. My mailing address is: Senator Barry DeKay, District #40, P.O. Box 94604, State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509.