Transcript Prepared By the Clerk of the Legislature Transcriber's Office Floor Debate March 16, 2016 [LB31 LB235 LB289 LB439 LB467A LB467 LB516 LB643 LB680A LB698 LB698A LB716 LB722A LB744 LB745 LB754A LB754 LB783A LB824 LB843 LB867 LB869 LB883 LB894 LB900 LB956 LB957 LB960 LB960A LB977 LB977A LB981 LB1012 LB1038A LB1081 LB1093 LB1097 LR470 LR471 LR472 LR473 LR474 LR485 LR486 LR487 LR488 LR489 LR490 LR491] SENATOR WATERMEIER PRESIDING SENATOR WATERMEIER: GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WELCOME TO THE GEORGE W. NORRIS LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER FOR THE FORTY-THIRD DAY OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH LEGISLATURE, SECOND SESSION. OUR CHAPLAIN FOR TODAY IS SENATOR JIM SCHEER. PLEASE RISE. SENATOR SCHEER: (PRAYER OFFERED.) SENATOR WATERMEIER: THANK YOU, SENATOR SCHEER. I CALL TO ORDER THE FORTY-THIRD DAY OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH LEGISLATURE, SECOND SESSION. SENATORS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR PRESENCE. ROLL CALL. MR. CLERK, PLEASE RECORD. CLERK: I HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, MR. PRESIDENT. SENATOR WATERMEIER: THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS FOR THE JOURNAL? CLERK: I HAVE NONE, MR. PRESIDENT. SENATOR WATERMEIER: ARE THERE MESSAGES, REPORTS, OR ANNOUNCEMENTS? CLERK: MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE NEITHER MESSAGES, REPORTS, NOR ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME. SENATOR WATERMEIER: THE CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SPEAKER HADLEY. 1 Transcript Prepared By the Clerk of the Legislature Transcriber's Office Floor Debate March 16, 2016 SPEAKER HADLEY: GOOD MORNING, MR. PRESIDENT; GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES. TODAY WE WILL WORK ON THE GENERAL FILE THAT'S ON THE AGENDA. DEPENDING ON WHAT WE GET DONE TODAY WILL DETERMINE WHAT WE DO TOMORROW. THIS IS A FLOATING TYPE OF CONCEPT WHAT THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT ON FRIDAY WE WILL BE DOING CONSENT AGENDA ON FRIDAY. AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I HAD OVER 80 REQUESTS FOR CONSENT AGENDA. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, SPEAKER FLOOD HAD 20 REQUESTS THE LAST YEAR OF HIS BEING SPEAKER AND SENATOR ADAMS HAD 40 HIS LAST YEAR, SO IT'S GONE UP FOUR TIMES SINCE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO. AND IT'S GONE UP TWICE OVER TWO YEARS AGO. SO JUST AS AN ASIDE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DEAL WITH AND WORK WITH NEXT YEAR AS TO REALLY WHAT YOU WANT DONE IN A CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE BASICALLY TELLING, GIVING 80 BILLS TO THE SPEAKER AND SAYING DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO BE DEBATED ON THE FLOOR. SO I JUST TO REMIND YOU OF THAT. THE OTHER REASON I'M REMINDING YOU, I DO HAVE TO WHITTLE IT DOWN BECAUSE THEY DO TAKE TIME. AND WHEN WE'RE IN THE POSITION OF WORRYING ABOUT GETTING TO PEOPLE'S PERSONAL PRIORITY BILLS, COMMITTEE PRIORITY BILLS, AND SPEAKER PRIORITY BILLS, TO ME THEY TAKE PRECEDENCE SO THAT THE NUMBER WILL NOT BE 80 THAT COMES OUT OF THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE, BUT IT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER. AND WE WILL DO THOSE ON FRIDAY AND THEY WILL BE ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW AT THE CLOSE OF DAY OR TODAY. TODAY. I CAN'T REMEMBER. TODAY OR TOMORROW. YOU'LL KNOW AHEAD OF TIME, HOW'S THAT? AND SENATOR LARSON, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COME AND SEE ME. NO. OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT'S WHEN IT IS. NEXT WEEK IS COMPLETELY FLUID ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO DEPENDING, AGAIN, ON HOW FAR WE GET THIS WEEKEND WHERE WE GET TO GOING. SO THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. SENATOR WATERMEIER: THANK YOU, SPEAKER HADLEY. MR. CLERK, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. CLERK: MR. PRESIDENT, THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE OFFERS A CONFIRMATION REPORT REGARDING THREE APPOINTEES TO THE RURAL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. (LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL PAGE 942.) SENATOR WATERMEIER: THANK YOU. SENATOR HOWARD, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO OPEN ON THE CONFIRMATION REPORT. 2 Transcript Prepared By the Clerk of the Legislature Transcriber's Office Floor Debate March 16, 2016 SENATOR HOWARD: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. SENATOR CAMPBELL IS OUT SICK TODAY AND IN MY ROLE AS VICE CHAIR, I'LL BE PRESENTING OUR APPOINTEES TO THE RURAL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. OUR FIRST APPOINTEE IS ROGER WELLS. HE IS FROM ST. PAUL, NEBRASKA, AND WORKS AS A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT AT HOWARD COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER. HE RECEIVED HIS PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER AND HOLDS CERTIFICATES IN PRIMARY CARE AND SURGERY. PRIOR TO UNMC, HE RECEIVED A MASTER'S OF SCIENCE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION FROM EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. FROM 2011 TO 2014, ROGER SERVED ON THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON RURAL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND IS A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE NEBRASKA ACADEMY OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. HE CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE UNMC PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COUNCIL AND IS ON THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. DR. REBECCA SCHROEDER IS BEING REAPPOINTED TO THE RURAL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. DR. SCHROEDER IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN CURTIS AND NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. SHE RECEIVED HER Ph.D. FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA AND HER UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM MINNESOTA STATE AT MOORHEAD. DR. SCHROEDER ARRIVED TO NEBRASKA TO PARTICIPATE IN HER PREDOCTORAL PROGRAM AT FAITH REGIONAL IN NORFOLK AND REMAINED IN NEBRASKA FROM THERE. DR. SCHROEDER HAS AN INTEREST NOT ONLY IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF RURAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS, BUT ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. SHE IS WORKING ON INTEGRATION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH IN CLINICS TO ADDRESS THAT ACCESS ISSUE. DR. JOHN CRAIG IS ALSO UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT TO THE RURAL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. HE IS CURRENTLY A RESIDENT AT UNMC IN FAMILY MEDICINE, AND HE RECEIVED HIS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY AND HIS MEDICAL DEGREE AT THE MED CENTER. DR. CRAIG CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE FAMILY PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COMMISSION. HE HAS RECENTLY ACCEPTED A POSITION IN HIS HOMETOWN OF MINDEN, NEBRASKA, AND WILL BE STARTING IN AUGUST. DR. CRAIG HAS BEEN VERY COMMITTED TO THE PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICAL HOME CONCEPT, AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE ON THE ADVISORY COMMISSION. I WOULD URGE THE BODY'S ADOPTION OF THESE APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE RURAL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. SENATOR WATERMEIER: THANK YOU, SENATOR HOWARD. MEMBERS, YOU HEARD THE OPENING ON THE CONFIRMATION REPORT FROM THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, SENATOR HOWARD 3 Transcript Prepared By the Clerk of the Legislature Transcriber's Office Floor Debate March 16, 2016 WAIVES CLOSING ON THE ADOPTION OF THE REPORT. THE QUESTION IS THE ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OFFERED BY THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE; ALL THOSE OPPOSED VOTE NAY. HAVE YOU ALL VOTED? RECORD, MR. CLERK. CLERK: (RECORD VOTE, LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL PAGES 995-996.) 31 AYES, 0 NAYS, MR. PRESIDENT, ON ADOPTION OF THE REPORT. SENATOR WATERMEIER: THE REPORT IS ADOPTED. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. CLERK: MR. PRESIDENT, GENERAL FILE, LB467A. IT'S BY SENATOR KOLTERMAN. (READ TITLE.) [LB467A] SENATOR WATERMEIER: SENATOR KOLTERMAN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO OPEN ON THE LB. [LB467A] SENATOR KOLTERMAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES. LB467A IS THE A BILL, THE BILL THAT CREATES A SECOND TIER OF REDUCED BENEFITS FOR STATE PATROL OFFICERS. THE A BILL APPROPRIATES $77,164 IN CASH FUNDS FOR EXPENSES INCURRED BY NPERS TO COVER COSTS FOR ACTUARIAL STUDY. I.T. PROGRAMMING CHANGES IN UPDATING THE STATE PATROL EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE ALSO INCLUDED. THESE COSTS ARE ASSESSED AGAINST THE STATE PATROL PLAN. IT ALSO APPROPRIATES ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS FOR INCREASED COSTS DUE TO CHANGE IN LB467 THAT INCREASED THE EMPLOYER'S STATE CONTRIBUTION RATE MATCH FROM 16 PERCENT TO 17 PERCENT FOR NEW OFFICERS HIRED ON OR AFTER JULY 1 OF 2016. IT'S NOT A LARGE FISCAL NOTE, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE GREEN ON THIS. THANK YOU. [LB467A LB467] SENATOR WATERMEIER: THANK YOU, SENATOR KOLTERMAN. (VISITORS INTRODUCED.) MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE OPENING ON LB467A. THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. SENATOR CHAMBERS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. [LB467A] SENATOR CHAMBERS: THANK YOU. MR. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, SINCE THIS IS THE PLACE ON THE AGENDA WHERE WE HAVE BILLS THAT NOT ONLY ARE NONCONTROVERSIAL, THEY ARE NOT OF INTEREST TO MOST PEOPLE. I WATCH THEM. AND SINCE ANNOUNCEMENTS USUALLY ARE 4 Transcript Prepared By the Clerk of the Legislature Transcriber's Office Floor Debate March 16, 2016 MADE AT THE BEGINNING OF A DAY, I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY PEOPLE IN VIEW OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS I MADE THE OTHER DAY, WOULD I SABOTAGE THE CONSENT CALENDAR? I HAD TOLD THE SPEAKER THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENED THAT WAS SO UPSETTING TO ME THAT I WOULD MESS WITH CONSENT CALENDAR, I WOULD LET HIM KNOW, WHICH I HAVE NOT DONE. BUT TO LET EVERYBODY REST AT EASE, A DEAL HAD BEEN MADE WHICH SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN, WHICH I ENTERED INTO VOLUNTARILY. THERE WAS A CERTAIN ACTION THAT I FELT SHOULD BE TAKEN; AND IF IT WERE NOT, THEN IT MIGHT LEAD ME TO DO THINGS WITH CONSENT CALENDAR. THE ACTION WAS TAKEN AND I WAS SATISFIED, AND I MADE IT CLEAR THAT IF I MAKE A DEAL, I'M NOT GOING TO BREAK IT. AND TO UNDERSCORE THE SERIOUSNESS OF MY INTENT AND TO REASSURE PEOPLE THAT MY WORD COULD BE ACCEPTED, SENATOR KOLTERMAN, BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR BILL, I HAD MADE REFERENCE TO HOW THE DEVIL IS PORTRAYED IN LITERATURE. WHEN THIS BEING WOULD MAKE A DEAL WITH SOMEBODY, THE STAKES ALWAYS WOULD BE THE PERSON'S SOUL, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.