Bill Introductions Continue in Unicameral

Lawmakers continue to introduce legislation in the Unicameral this week, with a deadline coming up next Wednesday for introductions of most new proposals.

The ACLU of Nebraska called attention recently to Legislative Bill 151, the Prosecutorial Transparency Act, introduced by state Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln.

The bill would create uniform information transparency requirements for prosecutors’ offices around the state, including reporting of defendant demographics and how prosecutors process, charge and resolve criminal cases, according to an ACLU news release.

Morfeld, an attorney with a J.D. the University of Nebraska College of Law, has announced he will run for Lancaster County Attorney in 2022.

For example, the ACLU said in a release, a prosecutor would have to report whether diversion was offered to a defendant and give the rational for when a prosecutor decides to dismiss a case.

ACLU of Nebraska Government Liaison Spike Eickholt said the bill would fill a critical information gap by providing Nebraskans with a clear picture of prosecutors’ decisions and their impact.

“After a year of historic marches calling for accountability, transparency and justice, we’re grateful to see leaders working to address the disparate impact of our laws and policies on Nebraskans of color,” Eickholt said in a release. “This bill would finally align our prosecutors’ offices with our state’s proud tradition of open government and ensure accountability to the people our prosecutors serve.”

Another measure, introduced on Monday, seeks to provide new coronavirus protections for meatpacking workers in Nebraska.

The proposal by Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas would require meatpacking companies to provide masks and adequate space for social distancing to keep the coronavirus from spreading.

Companies would also have to provide paid sick leave for workers who test positive for the virus, separate from any other paid sick leave.

Vargas introduced a similar measure last summer, but the bill failed to advance. His south Omaha district has a large number of meatpacking workers, and his father died from complications of the coronavirus last year.

Among the 50 other measures introduced Monday were:

• LB 213, sponsored by Albion Sen. Tom Briese, which would provide for an efficiency review of state agencies;

• LB 217, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, which would provide a penalty for filing a false report by a peace officer;

• LB 230, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, which would prohibit discrimination in public accommodations and under the Nebraska Fair Housing Act on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity;

• LB 241, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, which would adopt the Meatpacking Employees COVID-19 Protection Act;

• LB 242, sponsored by Plymouth Sen. Tom Brandt, which would provide for county bridges under the Political Subdivisions Construction Alternatives Act;

• LB 243, sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Eliot Bostar, which would adopt the Access College Early Tech Promise Program Act;

• LB 244, sponsored by Elmwood Sen. Robert Clements, which would change permit renewal provisions of the Concealed Handgun Permit Act;

• LB 254, sponsored by Gothenburg Sen. Matt Williams, which would extend the date for applications under the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Act;

• LB 255, sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen, which would adopt the In the Line of Duty Compensation Act; and

• LB 261, sponsored by Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, which would change provisions regarding grave markers for certain veterans.

A complete list of bills introduced so far is available at nebraskalegislature.gov. State senators have until the end of the 10th day of the session, or next Wednesday, for the majority of bill introductions.

This report contains material from The Associated Press and the Unicameral Information Office.