Feb. 8-11, 2016

UNICAMERAL UPDATE Stories published daily at Update.Legislature.ne.gov Vol. 39, Issue 6 / Feb. 8 - 11, 2016 Transitional health Seat belts proposed for insurance proposed all vehicle occupants ll occupants in a vehicle would be required to wear seat belts A under a bill heard by the Transportation and Telecommunica- tions Committee Feb. 9. Currently, not wearing a seat belt is enforced only as a secondary offense when the driver is pulled over for a primary offense, such as speed- ing. LB669, intro- duced by Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, would make the Sen. John McCollister said LB1032 would bring tax dollars back to Nebraska to help the state’s working poor. state’s current seat new option to provide cover- qualify for Medicaid but too little to belt requirement age for uninsured Nebraskans qualify for insurance premium tax a primary offense, A was discussed Feb. 10 in the credits under the ACA. rather than sec- Sen. Bob Krist Health and Human Services Commit- “It’s estimated that two-thirds of ondary, for all vehicle occupants. tee. Several proposals in recent years this uninsured population are the Krist said that Nebraska is one of to access federal Medicaid funds avail- working poor in Nebraska,” he said, only 16 states that does not have a able to Nebraska under the Affordable “and over half of these people come primary seat belt law. Care Act (ACA) have stalled during from rural areas.” “There has been a notable increase floor debate. LB1032 would require the state in traffic deaths in recent years. Of LB1032, sponsored by Omaha Department of Health and Human the 189 killed in Nebraska in 2014, Sen. John McCollister, would create Services (DHHS) to apply for a Med- almost 70 percent were not wearing the Transitional Health Insurance icaid waiver within 14 months of the a seat belt,” he said. “If we are truly Program (THIP) as an alternative bill’s effective date. Under the waiver, serious about public safety, we need to means of providing health coverage to individuals ineligible for Medicaid pay attention to those that are driving the approximately 77,000 uninsured with incomes below 133 percent of the [without seat belts].” Nebraskans who are newly eligible federal poverty level would be enrolled Rose White, representing AAA under the ACA. in private health insurance through a Nebraska, supported the bill, calling McCollister said the plan would premium assistance model in which the state’s current seat belt law “weak.” utilize the private health insurance Medicaid dollars are leveraged to pur- “Legislators in other states have market to ensure coverage for indi- chase private health plans. recognized that the implementation viduals who fall into the “coverage McCollister said the plan would of evidence-based policies like primary gap”—those who earn too much to provide eligibility in two additional seat belt laws truly benefit the citizens (continued page 3) (continued page 2) INSIDE: Funds sought for health centers • Police pursuit changes advanced • Hearing schedule February 8 - 11, 2016 Unicameral Youth Legislature Seat belts igh school students with an Registrants are encouraged to interest in law, government, apply for a Speaker Greg Adams proposed for Hleadership or public speaking are Civic Scholarship award, which encouraged to register for the covers the full cost of admission. all vehicle 2016 Unicameral Youth Legisla- Applicants must submit a short ture, which will convene June 5-8. essay. Other $100 scholarships are also available. occupants The Unicameral Youth Legislature is (continued from front page) a four-day legislative simulation con- The University of Nebraska– of the state,” White said. “[LB669] ducted at the State Capitol Building Lincoln’s Extension 4-H Youth would allow Nebraskans to realize the and coordinated by the Clerk’s Office Development Office coordinates law’s maximum potential and make it of the Nebraska Legislature. Student housing and recreational activities a primary offense.” senators will sponsor bills, conduct for the camp as part of their Big Bruce Beins, representing the Ne- committee hearings, debate legisla- Red Summer Camps program. braska Emergency Medical Services tion and discover the unique process Association, also supported the bill. of the nation’s only unicameral. Registration forms can be obtained “If you’re not a seat belt proponent from the Legislature’s Unicameral Students will learn about the inner Youth Legislature page: when you [start a career as a first re- workings of the Legislature directly www.NebraskaLegislature.gov/uyl. sponder], you will be one very quickly,” from senators and staff. Bills will be he said. “One of the functions the gov- based on legislation considered dur- The registration deadline is May 15. ernment has is protecting the public ing the current legislative session. and I do think we need to protect the public in this case.” George Ferebee, of Edgar, opposed the bill. Rather than a seat belt man- date, he said, the state’s focus should be on providing better driver education to new drivers so accidents can be prevented in the first place. The committee took no immediate action on the bill. g 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 and follow us on Twitter.com/UnicamUpdate. Clerk of the Legislature: Patrick J. O’Donnell Editor: Heidi Uhing; Writers: Kyle Harpster, Kate Heltzel, Ami Johnson; 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 • 104TH LEGISLATURE February 8 - 11, 2016 Transitional health insurance proposed (continued from front page) ways. An individual whose employer Lancaster County spent approximately to implement and could impair the pays no less than 50 percent of the $10 million on the medical needs of division’s ability to provide quality total cost of the employee’s coverage general assistance clients,” she said, care for those who already qualify for would receive assistance in purchasing adding that local government uses Medicaid benefits. employer-sponsored insurance. property tax funds to cover those costs. “My responsibility is to our enrollees Additionally, participants exempt “This bill provides an opportunity and to the taxpayers,” Lynch said. “I from enrollment in premium assis- to lower property taxes by maximizing want to be able to deliver better value tance, including individuals who are the use of federal funds,” Amundson for the dollars that are invested and determined to be medically frail, would said. “We cannot afford to miss this we’re working every day to do that.” be enrolled in Medicaid coverage. opportunity.” Jim Vokal, chief executive officer Program participants with incomes Paulette Jones also supported the of the Platte Institute for Economic over 50 percent of the federal poverty bill, saying she is one of the 77,000 Research, also opposed the bill. He level would be required to contribute Nebraskans who fall into the coverage said 58 percent of the individuals 2 percent of their monthly household gap. Jones said her income currently that the bill would provide coverage income as a premium, along with an en- puts her $42 over the limit to qualify for for already are insured or are eligible hanced copayment for nonemergency Medicaid, which makes it difficult to for private insurance under the ACA. emergency room use. manage her chronic health conditions. Placing them in a program that is more The bill also would refer partici- “I worked my family off of the expensive than traditional Medicaid pants to employment and education [public benefit] system and showed coverage—and that is funded by tax- programs and create a pilot program them the importance of self-reliance,” payers—is the wrong solution, he said. that would provide education and she said. “I am currently applying for Vokal predicted that approximately skills training targeted at specific state and interviewing for jobs and I need 14,000 Nebraskans would drop out workforce needs. The bill calls for data to be healthy.” of the workforce to access the bill’s collection and analysis of whether Andy Hale, representing the Ne- provisions. providing health insurance impacts braska Hospital Association, also “We would all like to close the the ability of individuals to transition supported LB1032, saying states that coverage gap by providing more afford- off of public assistance programs. have expanded Medicaid have seen able options,” Vokal said. “[But this As a result, McCollister said, an increase in health care jobs and a bill] would trap more Nebraskans in LB1032 would encourage and sup- decrease in uncompensated care. In welfare dependency through no fault port innovation and health care best addition, he said, the uninsured rate of their own.” practices in Nebraska. for low-wage workers has dropped. The committee took no immediate “We contend that we’re offering “The states that expanded Medic- action on LB1032.

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