UNICAMERAL UPDATE News published daily at Update.Legislature.ne.gov Vol. 42, Issue 15 / Apr. 15 - 18, 2019 it appear as though phone calls are from Call spoofing bill advanced a trusted number—a process known as “spoofing.” The telemarketing industry generated over $23 billion in 2018 alone, Halloran said. “As a citizen and businessman, I clearly recognize that this is an important indus- try to the economy,” he said. “I don’t intend to harm the industry, but rather help [them] and protect the good people of Nebraska.” As introduced, LB693 would pro- hibit any person from selling or renting a phone number to an out-of-state entity unless the telephone number is publicly listed and could be verified by a telecom- munications provider. The bill would prohibit any person working in connection with a telecom- Sens. Steve Halloran and Megan Hunt discuss her amendment to protect local companies munications service or internet-enabled acting in good faith. voice service from causing a caller ID bill that would authorize investigations of telemar- service to knowingly provide misleading or inaccurate in- keters who knowingly manipulate caller ID infor- formation with the intent to defraud, harm or wrongfully A mation was advanced from general file April 16. obtain anything of value. LB693, sponsored by Hastings Sen. Steve Halloran, is intended to target companies that use caller ID to make (continued page 2) Program to license and regulate hemp industry advanced awmakers gave first-round ap- of LB657, said the way or another,” Wayne said. “We can proval April 15 to a bill that bill would fulfill either be left behind or we can lead.” L would authorize and regulate those requirements An Agriculture Committee amend- the growing, processing and handling and give Nebraska ment, adopted 37-4, would replace of hemp and hemp products in Ne- farmers and manu- the bill. It would require the state De- braska. facturers a foothold partment of Agriculture to establish, Congress legalized the cultivation in what he said is operate and administer a program to and sale of hemp with the 2018 Farm projected to be a Sen. Justin Wayne license and regulate those who culti- Bill by removing it from the federal $10 billion industry by 2025. Hemp, vate, process, handle or broker hemp, Controlled Substances Act. States that which Wayne stressed is not the same as defined as cannabis with no more wish to regulate hemp production first marijuana, can be used to make fabrics, than 0.3 percent delta-9 tetrahydro- must submit a plan to the U.S. Depart- yarn, rope, paper, drywall, industrial cannabinol (THC), the plant’s main ment of Agriculture for approval. oils and other products, he said. Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, sponsor “[Hemp production] is coming one (continued page 3) INSIDE: Meet Sen. La Grone • Mechanical amusement bill advanced • Support the troops license plates advanced April 15 - 18, 2019 Call spoofing bill advanced Search for Bills (continued from front page) Learn more about bills considered The provisions of LB693 would not Opposing the bill was Omaha Sen. by the Unicameral by logging on apply to authorized law enforcement Ernie Chambers, who said it would do to www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. activity or a court order that authorizes nothing to stop telemarketing calls. caller ID manipulation. The Nebraska “You’re shooting at a moving target The Legislature’s website offers a bill search on the upper-right Public Service Commission would be and that target will move faster than portion of the homepage. Entering authorized to impose administrative you can load your gun and fire at it,” a bill number will retrieve the bill’s penalties on violators, not to exceed he said. text, fiscal note, statement of $2,000. Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt intro- intent, votes, transcripts and more. Halloran introduced an amend- duced an amendment that would ment, adopted 42-0, which would exempt local telecommunications You also can search current laws authorize the state attorney general to companies from the bill’s provisions using the keyword search found investigate violations of the bill under as long as they are acting in accordance below the bill search. the Consumer Protection Act. These with federal law. The amendment violations would not give cause for would hold harmless local companies, private civil action. she said, and make sure they are not Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln sup- penalized for the actions of bad actors. ported the bill, but expressed concern Hilgers opposed the Hunt amend- that it could harm legitimate tele- ment, saying that it could prevent the marketing businesses. He suggested attorney general from properly inves- that the Legislature take a “national tigating violations. He said he would perspective” when addressing telecom- work on drafting an amendment with munications issues. the attorney general’s office before “We want to avoid a conflicting select file debate. patchwork of laws [across the country] Following the 29-11 adoption of and potential conflicts with regula- the Hunt amendment, senators ad- tions at the federal level,” Hilgers said. vanced LB693 to select file on a 40-1 “This bill could become a model for vote. g other states, so we want to get it right.” 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 1023, 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 Unicameral Update is available as an audio recording from the Nebraska Library Commission’s Talking Book and Braille Service. Call (800) 742-7691 for more information. THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1977 PAGE 2 • UNICAMERAL UPDATE • 106TH LEGISLATURE April 15 - 18, 2019 Program to license and regulate hemp industry advanced (continued from front page) psychoactive compound. result in the legal growth, manage- chinery needed to harvest hemp plants. Among other requirements, license ment, marketing and use of the state’s “I don’t think it’s going to be a holders would have to be at least 18; hemp industry. A fee on hemp seed panacea,” he said, “but we have a not have had a cultivator, processor- and hemp fiber sold or delivered in chance to get in, probably not on the handler or broker license revoked in Nebraska would fund the commission. bottom floor, but at least near the the five years preceding the applica- Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth bottom floor.” tion; and not have been convicted of supported LB657, saying hemp is a Kearney Sen. John Lowe opposed a felony related to a controlled sub- drought-resistant cash crop that fits the bill. He said South Dakota Gov. stance within the preceding 10 years. into farmers’ existing crop rotation. Kristi Noem vetoed similar legislation License holders would consent to He said Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and last month on the grounds that it background checks; entry onto and Wyoming have legalized the growth would have complicated law enforce- inspection of all sites where hemp and sale of hemp. ment searches and provided a defense would be cultivated or processed; “We are lagging behind our neigh- for those breaking the state’s drug laws. testing of hemp samples; destruction boring states who are our competitors Lowe said he feared that authoriz- of hemp found to have THC concen- in this emerging market,” Brandt said. ing the production and sale of hemp tration greater than that allowed by Peru Sen. Julie Slama also sup- would put Nebraska on a path toward the act; and annual inspections by the ported the bill, saying it would give legalizing marijuana. department to verify that hemp is be- farmers an alternative crop. “We’re opening a cavern, a cavern ing grown in accordance with the law. “Our Nebraska farmers will not that we will not be able to crawl out of The bill would require the depart- live or die on the passage of this bill, once this is passed,” he said. ment’s director to submit a state but it provides them another option Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard regulatory plan to the U.S. Secretary of to diversify their crops,” she said. “All also opposed the bill. He, too, cited Agriculture no later than Dec. 31, 2019. you have to do is look at commodity Noem’s veto message, which claimed The plan would describe practices prices for corn and soybeans right now that legislation authorizing hemp to maintain information regarding to understand why that’s important.” production is part of a larger effort to land where hemp is cultivated, handled Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil also legalize marijuana for recreational use. or processed; procedures governing supported the bill, saying it would help Senators voted 37-4 to advance the sampling and testing of hemp; manufacturers that build special ma- LB657 to select file.