Longer term limits, extended child care subsidies advance; Chambers' controversy continues

March 30, 2015, 5:53 a.m. ·

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(Photo by Fred Knapp, NET News)

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Voters could be asked again to let senators serve more terms, and child care subsidies could be expanded, under bills moving ahead in the Nebraska Legislature. Meanwhile, the war of words over Sen. Ernie Chambers’ remarks on police continues.


Three years ago, Nebraska voters rejected a proposal to let members of the Legislature serve three four-year terms, instead of the current limit of two. But Monday, lawmakers gave first-round approval to a measure that would put that same question on the ballot again next year.

Sen. Paul Schumacher, in his fifth year in the Legislature, cited experience and the impending retirement of staffers from the baby boom as reasons for change. "The longer you are here, the more you realize what you don’t know. And how valuable experience is and how much you learn. We are also faced with the issue of a senior staff that is getting close to the age retirement – a senior staff that has helped keep the institution on track over the last few years as we transition to the term- limited environment," Schumacher said.

The measure generated significant debate last week, but Monday, opponents were apparently content to save their rhetorical fire until the next round of debate. It got first round approval on a vote of 27-12. In a later interview, Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, an opponent, noted that as a constitutional amendment, it would need 30 votes to gain final approval. Groene said he thinks when senators who have to run for reelection hear from their constituents, opponents will be able to prevent final passage of the measure.

Also Monday, lawmakers gave first-round approval to a measure that would extend child care subsidies for low-income working people who get raises. The bill, LB81, is sponsored by Omaha Sen. Tanya Cook, who said it addresses the pressing need in Nebraska for quality, affordable childcare for working families. Cook said it also "offers an economical solution to a public policy shortfall: the ‘cliff effect’ that inhibits the upward mobility of hardworking Nebraskans."

The "cliff effect" refers to the cutoff of benefits above a certain income level, currently about $22,000 for a single parent with one child. Cook’s office supplied the following example: If a single parent with one child makers $10 an hour, she qualifies for about $660 a month in child care assistance. If she gets a different job for $11 an hour, that increases her monthly income by $160 a month, but she loses all her child care assistance, so she comes out about $500 a month behind.

Cook’s bill would try to address that by extending child care assistance for two years, so long as the parent’s income doesn’t exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level – that’s about $29,000 for a single mom with one child. It got first round approval on a vote of 28-0.

And debate continued over Sen. Ernie Chambers’ comments 10 days ago that for him, police are like ISIS, and that if he carried a gun, he’d shoot first and ask questions later. Sen. Beau McCoy quoted an Omaha world Herald editorial saying the comments were not civil, then repeated his call for Chambers to apologize. "I think it’s reprehensible, and law enforcement and the people of Nebraska deserve an apology," McCoy said.

Chambers once again refused, calling criticism by McCoy and others "the funniest, silliest, most childish, asinine, juvenile mess of rubbish that I’ve heard since I’ve been in the Legislature." He quoted Lincoln Public Safety Director Tom Cassady saying Chambers "was more likely to give birth than shoot a police office."

As Chambers continued on at length. Sen. Bob Krist said he has a right to filibuster, it’s time to move on.: I stood here and defended your right aabout three weeks ago when everybody said ‘Can’t you shut him up?’ and I said ‘No,’" Krist said. "But the other part of it is knowing when to shut up. When really to take two steps back and do the people’s work," Krist said.

By late Monday afternoon, McCoy had not yet indicated if he and other critics will seek a formal legislative censure of Chambers.