NEBRASKA’S UNICAMERAL CONVENED IN SPECIAL SESSION TUESDAY TO BEGIN DEBATE ON A COMPROMISE BILL TO LOWER STATE PROPERTY TAXES.
SPEAKER JOHN ARCH LAID OUT A SCHEDULE THROUGH SATURDAY TO DEBATE LB-34, AND THEN SENATOR LOU ANN LINEHAN BROUGHT THE SESSION TO A QUICK DERAILMENT WITH A MOTION TO POSTPONE THE DEBATE INDEFINITELY:
SPECIAL1 OC…… TRYING TO GET TO. :23
SEVERAL SENATORS CHIMED IN TO EXPLAIN OTHER BILLS OR AMENDMENTS THEY WANTED, AND A MOVE TO RECESS FOR AN HOUR WAS DEFEATED.40-4.
THAT BEGAN A SERIES OF SENATORS EXPLAINING WHY THEY OPPOSED OR FAVORED THE COMPROMISE BILL.
SENATOR JONI ALBRECHT OF THURSTON WAS ON THE REVENUE COMMITTEE THAT CRAFTED THE COMPROMISE BILL:
SPECIAL2 OC………IN THE SANDBOX. :20
THAT DEBATE CONTINUED UNTIL A MOTION TO CEASE DEBATE ON LINEHAN’S MOTION PASSED 32-9.
LINEHAN’S MOTION TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE LB-34 THEN WAS VOTED DOWN 33-9 AND DEBATE ON THE BILL GOT UNDERWAY.
AFTER MUCH BACK AND FORTH AND THE REJECTION OF ONE AMENDED VERSION, A SECOND AMENDED VERSION STALLED OUT WHEN A MOTION WAS MADE TO DIVIDE IT INTO TWO BILLS.
THE LT. GOVERNOR OVERSEEING THE SESSION RULED IT WAS NOT ABLE TO BE SPLIT.
STATE SENATOR JOHN CAVANAUGH MOVED TO OVERRULE THE LT. GOVERNOR.
SENATOR JULIE SLAMA THEN CALLED ON SPEAKER JOHN ARCH TO VOTE TO OVERRULE THE LT. GOVERNOR, AND HE AGREED TO DO THAT:
SPECIAL3 OC……..THANK YOU. :23
THAT HAPPENED BY A 28-13 VOTE AND THE DEBATE OVER THE SPLITTING CONTINUING AT LEAST THROUGH 5:30 P.M.
Audio from Nebraska Public Media
