Link to the Legislature website:   www.nebraskalegislature.gov
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NEMSA Legislative Report
As of 1/31/08
Bruce Beins, Legislative Chair

The second or short session of the 100th Nebraska Unicameral convened on Wednesday January 9th, 2008. I encourage you to visit the Unicameral website, where you can locate bills, agendas, and hearing schedules at www.nebraskalegislature.gov  . Or visit NEMSA’s website at www.nemsa.org for current legislative information and links to the Unicameral site. As always feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at bbeins@frontiernet.net . The following is a summary of the bills we are tracking so far this year.

Bills carried over from last year:

LB6 Pahls, 31, Adopt the Nebraska Safe Haven Act
LB157 Stuthman, 22, Provide for leaving an infant with a firefighter or hospital staff member Watch! These bills would allow newborns to be left at designated locations, including manned fire stations, without charges of neglect or abandonment being filed against the parents. Both of these bills carried over from last year; however LB157 has now advanced as Sen. Stuthman’s priority bill.
LB254 Aguilar, 35, Change child passenger restraint system and occupant protection system provisions. Support! This bill would change the use of child restraint seats from age 6 to age 8.
LB93 Cornett, 45, Create firefighter license plates. This bill would create firefighter license plates, create a fund for the Fire Marshalls office, and transfer some safety training duties from the dept. of education to the Fire Marshall’s office. Support I think a Fire/Rescue plate makes much more sense.
LB194 Pahls, 31, Change disciplinary provisions of the Uniform Licensing Law. Watch! This bill would change disciplinary procedures to include a unanimous approval of the professional board and the director of HHS before any action. I think the current system works.
LB293 Pedersen, 39, Redefine public safety official with respect to infectious disease exposure. Support! This clarifies that Nebraska State Patrol officers and jailers are covered by laws governing infectious disease exposure.
LB244 Flood, 19, Change provisions relating to transportation of patients in ambulances. This is a return of last year’s bill to allow First Responders to transport patients. Oppose! This is a bad solution to the ongoing problem of recruitment and retention of providers in rural areas. I’m afraid the net result would be to lower the standard of care in the rural areas where adequately trained personnel are so important
LB253 Rogert, 16, Adopt the Motorcycle Safety and Training Act and change motorcycle helmet provisions. This would have eliminate much of the helmet law and add a mandatory training requirement. Failed to advance!

New Bills:

LB730 Flood, Change emergency medical services classifications and training. (Hearing date January 23, 1:30 pm) This bill could have a huge impact! In addition to eliminating references to the DOT curriculums and changing the names of the levels of providers, this bill would require the EMS Board to allow for skills only testing for the credentialing of First Responders and EMT’s. (No national registry test or any standardized test of knowledge. While this is an interesting concept, it needs much more study. Oppose!!!!(Hearing 1/23)
LB757 Hudkins, Adopt the Volunteer Emergency Responders Incentive Act
This bill would provide a refundable tax credit of $500 for active emergency responders on their state income tax. Support!!! (Hearing 1/31)
LB786 Howard, Regulate traffic approaching or passing a stopped authorized emergency vehicle
Also known as the “Nebraska Rules of the Road” this bill would require drivers to move over and slow down for emergency vehicles. Support!!!
LB787 Gay, Create degrees of offenses of assault on an emergency services provider or a health care provider This bill would make it a felony to assault an EMS provider of health care worker. Support!!!(Hearing 1/31)
LB797 Health and Human Services Committee Change provisions relating to health and human services. This is a cleanup bill. Changes some operative dates for HIPPA regulations.
LB812 Kruse Provide for primary enforcement of occupant protection system laws. This would allow law enforcement to pull drivers over for not using seatbelts. Support!!!
LB836 Howard Prohibit smoking in a vehicle when minors are present. This would make it unlawful to smoke anything in a vehicle if anyone under 16 was inside. Watch!!(Hearing 2/6)
LB901 Johnson Provide immunity for emergency management workers as prescribed. (Hearing date 1/31/07) This would extend the freedom from liability provided under the “Good Samaritan” law and include Emergency Management, and also to include disaster training and response. Support!!!(Hearing 1/31)
LB948 Karpisek Adopt the Volunteer Emergency Responders Job Protection Act
Would keep employers from firing or taking disciplinary action against employees who are late or absent due to responding to an emergency. Support!!!(Hearing 2/11)
LB1069 Dubas Change provisions governing railroad companies blocking certain railroad crossings. Would make blocking a railroad crossing in any unincorporated town or village for over 10 minutes a Class I misdemeanor with a fine of $1000. Support!!!
LB1092 Harms Require seat belts on school buses. Support!!!
LB 1098 Hudkins Change tax levy provisions for rural and suburban fire protection districts. According to the NSVFA Lobbyist, this bill would return control of the tax levy to the fire districts, and could be exceeded by a vote of the citizens of the district. Support!!!