NACO's Legislative Committee will meet on Friday, January 27 to review and take positions on 2017 legislation. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the NACO office at 1335 H Street in Lincoln.

 

After brief introductory remarks, affiliate groups will meet for discussion of bills pertinent to their membership. After the groups have met, the NACO Legislative Committee will reconvene as a whole to review and take positions on the entire list of bills. All county officials are encouraged to attend or discuss areas of concern with their NACO Board representative prior to the meeting.The NACO Board makes up the NACO Legislative Committee.  

 

Because lunch will be provided, please notify the NACO office at (402)434-5660 or [email protected] if you plan to attend. Because the Legislature is in session, parking around the Capitol may be limited. Public parking is not available behind the NACO office or in the MIPS lot. A parking garage is available at The Cornhusker, A Marriott Hotel at 12th and L Streets.

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

The formatting requirements for documents submitted for recording with registers of deeds would be amended to state that signatures could be digital or electronic pursuant to a bill heard by the Government Committee this week. Language in Neb.Rev.Stat.§86-611(3) already provides that state agencies and political subdivisions may accept digital or electronic signatures and may accept communications in electronic format. LB38 would include electronic and digital signature language in §23-1503.01.

 

Law clerks and law students would be considered part of the unclassified service for counties of 150,000 to 300,000 with a civil service plan under LB80. The committee advanced LB80 and it appears on Monday's General File agenda.

 

Persons seeking elective or appointive office would have to pay outstanding late filing fees, civil penalties, and interest imposed pursuant to the Accountability and Disclosure Act in order to be eligible to file for office under LB85. The Accountability and Disclosure Commission would maintain a website listing persons with outstanding fines for election officials to consult before accepting filings.

 

Counties and other political subdivisions that are parties to interlocal agreements but fail to make an annual report would be subject to a late fee of $20 per day, up to $2,000 as part of a series of changes requested by the State Auditor in LB27. According to testimony, only 59 counties reported to the State Auditor that they participated in interlocal agreements last year. The bill is similar to a measure passed last year that was vetoed due to changes in per diem reimbursement for state employees. LB101, LB90, and LB151 were also introduced at the request of the Auditor.

 

Judiciary Committee

Currently counties are responsible for the costs of autopsies, grand juries, and witness compensation when an incarcerated person dies within a state correctional facility. LB47 would shift those costs to the state. The Judiciary Committee heard testimony from counties and NACO in support of LB47. A similar bill, LB105, was introduced in 2015 after the issue was identified in a study of unfunded mandates on counties.

 

Revenue Committee

Two bills aimed at easing homestead exemption certification requirements for veterans were heard by the Revenue Committee on Thursday. LB12 would allow the exemption for veterans and their unremarried surviving spouse. LB20 would limit the exemption to veterans who are totally disabled by a non-service accident or illness.

 

Counties could see additional revenue from tax sales if investors bid down the interest rate they are willing to accept under LB51. Property owners would continue to pay 14 percent interest to redeem their property, but the investors purchasing the tax sales certificates could choose to accept a lower interest rate. Counties would receive the  difference. The bill would also strike the specific procedures used for a round robin sale. Senator Paul Schumacher, the introducer, has agreed to work with counties on amendments that would limit the bid-down interest amounts to whole numbers and delay the implementation to allow counties to make software changes.

 

Transportation and Telecommunications Committee

Military reservists would be eligible for Military Honor license plates under a bill heard by the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on Tuesday. The bill would also expand the veterans notation on operators licenses to include individuals who have served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard reserves. LB45 was advanced by the committee and appears on Monday's agenda for possible General File debate. The committee heard and advanced a second bill, LB46, which would create Choose Life specialty license plates.