Feb. 24-27, 2020
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UNICAMERAL UPDATE News published daily at Update.Legislature.ne.gov Vol. 43, Issue 8 / Feb. 24 - 27, 2020 Land bank bill Compensation for amateur stalls on latest athletes advanced attempt bill that would allow municipal- ities throughout Nebraska to A create or join land banks stalled during general file debate Feb. 25. LB424, introduced by Grand Is- land Sen. Dan Quick, was debated last year but did not advance from general file after a failed cloture motion. The bill would allow any municipality in Nebraska to join an existing land bank—a tax-exempt political subdi- vision that acquires, manages and develops vacant and tax-delinquent properties—under the Nebraska Mu- Sen. Megan Hunt said only 2 percent of student athletes will go on to earn money as profes- nicipal Land Bank Act. sional athletes. Currently, only municipalities ebraska college and university tion from penalizing or punishing a in Douglas and Sarpy counties are athletes could earn income student athlete who enters into a com- eligible under state law to create Nunder a bill advanced from mercial contract, as long as it does not land banks. Under the bill as intro- general file Feb. 25. directly conflict with a team contract. duced, only a metropolitan class city LB962, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Student athletes would be required could create a stand-alone land bank. Megan Hunt, would allow college to report any personal contracts to their Omaha is the state’s only metropolitan athletes at public and private schools postsecondary institution and would class city. to earn money from their name, image be barred from wearing a sponsor’s The bill also would specify that a and likeness rights. Only 2 percent of apparel or otherwise advertising for the land bank is prohibited from levying college and university athletes will go sponsor during official team activities. property taxes. on to play professionally, Hunt said. LB962 also would allow student Quick said blighted properties of- “I was surprised to learn that athletes to obtain professional rep- ten are too costly and time consuming 100 percent of student athletes in resentation to negotiate related con- for private investors to rehabilitate. Nebraska ... are legally prevented tractual or legal matters. An athlete Those properties not only are eyesores, from participating in the free market could seek civil damages against their he said, but the city must pay to mow and earning any wages at all for their postsecondary institution or athletic lawns and provide police and fire athletic skills and talents,” she said. association if they believe their right to protection for the buildings. “LB962 is about the right of every seek compensation has been violated. “They sit there and they take down student to work, participate in the free Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln the whole neighborhood,” Quick market and to have the same freedoms supported the measure. The bill is said. “It’s becoming costly for com- as their non-athlete peers on college a moderate approach to ensuring munities.” and university campuses.” fairness for student athletes, he said. Quick introduced an amendment, The bill would prohibit any postsec- Coaches and administrators currently ondary institution or athletic associa- (continued page 3) (continued page 2) INSIDE: Voter ID proposed • Indoor e-cigarette ban advanced • Speaker priority bills February 24 - 27, 2020 Compensation for amateur athletes advanced (continued from front page) make millions off of athlete’s hard to do this and UNL does not, then the his or her school. work, Morfeld said, and student ath- players will not come here,” he said. Opposing the bill was North Platte letes at least should have the ability to “They will go to a school where they Sen. Mike Groene. He said LB962 earn money from their name, likeness can receive some compensation for would transform college athletic recruit- and image. misuse or use of their name.” ing into an inequitable bidding war. Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers also An amendment offered by Lincoln “[Recruiting] will have nothing to supported the bill, saying it would be Sen. Matt Hansen, adopted 26-2, clari- do with our facilities or our fan base, a valuable recruiting tool. fied that any compensation earned by it’ll be about the money because we “If other schools allow their athletes a student athlete would be factored understand that one quarterback into any application can make the difference in a national for need-based finan- championship,” Groene said. cial aid. Sen. John Lowe of Kearney also Schools also opposed LB962. He said it could would have un- negatively impact Nebraska schools’ til July 1, 2023, to current relationships with their respec- implement a frame- tive athletic conferences. work for handling “If we’re unsure of how confer- student athlete com- ence commissioners will react to this pensation. bill, I’m afraid we’ll put our schools Gretna Sen. An- at risk of being punished by their drew La Grone also conferences,” Lowe said. “Could they offered an amend- decide Nebraska is in violation of our ment that would im- agreement and limit or completely plement a one-year suspend [television] revenue sharing statute of limitation with UNL?” from the cause of Following the 31-0 adoption of action for any stu- the La Grone amendment, senators Sen. Andrew La Grone said a shorter statute of limitations makes sense given the inherently brief relationship between student dent filing a civil voted 36-4 to advance the bill to select athletes and their schools. complaint against file. n UNICAMERAL UPDATE The Unicameral Update is a free, weekly newsletter published during the legislative session. It is produced by the Clerk of the Legislature’s Office through the Unicameral Information Office. For print subscriptions, call 402-471-2788 or email [email protected]. Visit us online at Update.Legislature.ne.gov, twitter.com/UnicamUpdate and facebook.com/UnicameralUpdate. Clerk of the Legislature: Patrick J. O’Donnell Editor: Kate Heltzel; Writers: Kyle Harpster, Ami Johnson, Mike Malloy; Photographer: Bess Ghormley Printed copies of bills, resolutions and the Legislative Journal are available at the State Capitol room 1104, or by calling 402-471-2709 or 800-742-7456. Status of bills and resolutions can be requested at that number or can be found on NebraskaLegislature.gov. Live video of hearings and floor debate can be viewed on NET2 and at NetNebraska.org/capitol. Senators may be contacted by mail at this address: Senator Name, District #, State Capitol, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604 Assistance provided by the Clerk of the Legislature’s Office, the Legislative Technology Center, committee clerks, legal counsels, journal clerks, pages, transcribers, mail room and bill room staff and the State Print Shop. THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1977 PAGE 2 • UNICAMERAL UPDATE • 106TH LEGISLATURE February 24 - 27, 2020 Land bank bill stalls on latest attempt (continued from front page) adopted 30-1, that would allow a pri- mary class city to create a stand-alone land bank and would create a system to remove land bank board members for neglect of duty or misconduct. Sen. John Stinner of Gering sup- ported the bill, saying it would in- crease the inventory of workforce housing. He said the bill is necessary because the private sector hasn’t in- vested in blighted properties due to the large volume and the high cost of clearing a property’s title. “It’s an important bill for western Nebraska and rural Nebraska as well,” Stinner said. “It’ll clean up some of these towns in disrepair and give them Sens. Dan Quick (left) and Steve Erdman confer during debate on LB424. a competitive advantage.” Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne intro- country,” Blood said. “Michigan and “The conflict of interest provision duced an amendment, adopted 33-0, New York have been able to recapture also doesn’t touch, in any way, any of that would add his LB1178 to LB424. 50 percent of the taxes on properties the investments that are authorized It would prohibit land banks from en- returned to the tax rolls [within] five from the land bank,” Hilgers said. tering into agreements with nonprofit years.” Hilgers offered several amend- corporations or other private entities Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard ments to address his objections. The for purposes of temporarily holding opposed the bill. He said he didn’t first would remove from the bill a real property for those nonprofit cor- think individuals or entities would clause to enable a land bank to bid porations or private entities. purchase properties renovated under on a property that is not blighted but Wayne said his amendment would a land bank. is adjacent to a property that the land address a specific concern regarding “I am opposed to government bank already owns. nonprofits in Omaha holding proper- owning property,” Erdman said. “If a The amendment failed on a 19-24 ties for up to five years. private investor can’t take that prop- vote. Twenty-five votes were needed. “While those properties were sit- erty and make it work, why would it After three hours of debate, the ting in the land bank…all the issues be that the government can do that?” Legislature moved on to the next [of dilapidated properties] were still Also speaking in opposition was item on the agenda without voting on occurring,” Wayne said. Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln. Di- LB424 or any pending amendments. Bellevue Sen. Carol Blood said she lapidated properties are a problem, Per a practice implemented by Speaker supported LB424 because municipali- he said, but he asserted that the bill Jim Scheer, the sponsor of a bill that ties do not have an effective way to ad- is too broad and contains many loop- is facing a potential filibuster must dress blighted properties.