June 17, 2011
by Al Riskowski/Nebraska Family Council
LINCOLN, NE — The 102nd Legislature, First Session, is over. The last day of a Legislative session is called sine die. The Legislative session ended three days early this year, on May 26th, providing a savings to Nebraska tax payers. Senators will not convene again until January of 2012.
There are 49 State Senators of which five were newly elected last year and one appointed. Over seven hundred bills were introduced the first ten days of the session. Lawmakers did pass 272 bills this session. Many bills are still waiting to exit various committees and be debated on the floor of the Legislature, but that will not happen until 2012.
Norfolk Senator Mike Flood, Speaker of the Legislature, said passing a balanced budget was a highlight of this session. Senators faced a projected $1 billion shortfall. Gov. Dave Heineman thanked Senators for their hard work on the budget, “We knew we would have to make tough budget decisions and we did by working together.” Nebraska is about the only State with a balanced budget and a cash reserve.
There were more pro-life bills passed this session than in any single session in the history of the Legislature.
• Sen. McCoy was able to remove provisions in the federal health care program that provides for abortions. With the passage of this bill individuals can still purchase coverage for abortions under the federal health care plan but Nebraskans will not help pay for it.
• Sen. Fulton introduced a bill to stop chemical abortions from taking place from a remote location. This bill still allows chemical abortions to take place, however a physician must be present. When Planned Parenthood announced plans to open six new clinics in Nebraska this bill was given greater interest. Planned Parenthood already has sixteen clinics in Iowa where a girl can go and get a chemical abortion without a physician being present. Nine out of ten pregnant girls who go to a Planned Parenthood facility get an abortion.
• LB 667, introduced by Sen. Flood, creates a new offense of motor vehicle homicide of an unborn child.
• The parental notification provisions regarding abortion were changed by a bill introduced by Sen. Brasch. This bill states that no person shall perform an abortion upon a pregnant minor woman unless a notarized written consent by both the pregnant woman and one of her parents or a legal guardian is obtained. Until now a minor girl could obtain an abortion without the consent of a parent.
One other highlight of the Legislature was the willingness of State Senators to investigate the human trafficking problem in Nebraska. The Judiciary Committee will do a study this year. The expected results of the study will be targeted legislation aimed at the owners and users of this industry.
To learn more about the 2011 Legislative Session or other bills of interest do contact us at Nebraska Family Council toll free at 1-888-777-3191 or on the web at www.NebFC.org.
