By Kelli Rollin, Nebraska News Service
LINCOLN--The Legislature continued to chug along the week of April 13, passing and stalling multiple pieces of legislation.
The death penalty, legislative term limits and minimum wage for minors were just a few topics of discussion this week.
After hearty debate, the proposed repeal of the death penalty, LB 268 advanced on April 16. LB 268 would replace the death penalty with a sentence of life in prison without parole.
Sen. Dave Bloomfield of Hoskins said during debate that he wrestles with his stance on the death penalty, but he always considers one thing.
"I go back to my mother's haunting words, 'The state should not take away a life until they have the ability to give it back'," Bloomfield said.
Sen. Joni Craighead of Omaha read a synopsis of murders in Rulo committed by a cult leader. Craighead took the stance of keeping the death penalty for justice, especially in heinous crimes such as the one she talked about.
The bill advanced to select file with a 30-13 vote.
On April 13, senators debated term limits with LR 7CA, introduced by Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus. The proposal would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow senators to have two consecutive six-year terms instead of the current two consecutive four-year terms.
Schumacher commented on the "tremendous campaigning costs" that frequent elections cause. He said with longer terms, more experienced senators would have staggered terms in the Legislature, which would help with the learning curve.
Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte said the voters didn't need to be bothered with this issue on the ballot.
"We're creating a problem that doesn't exist," Groene said about wanting to change term limits. "This isn't necessary," he said.
The legislative resolution failed to advance on a vote of 20-22.
LB 599, introduced by Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, took a step forward Wednesday. The bill would create a separate minimum wage for student workers so small businesses could afford to hire more part-time student positions. The hourly minimum wage for the young workers would be $8, an increase from the $7.25 an hour initially called for in the bill.
Voters last year approved a ballot initiative raising the hourly minimum wage to $8 this year and $9 in 2016.
Ebke's bill advanced with a 32-11 vote.
LB 605, introduced by Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha, would aim to provide solutions for Nebraska's overcrowded prisons.
Some changes under the bill would require that sentences less than one year be served in a county jail, all sentences one year or more be served in a state prison and that new felony classifications and penalties would be added.
The bill advanced with a 35-3 vote.
Contact Kelli Rollin at nns.krollin@gmail.com.