Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha said Monday he has addressed Gov. Pete Ricketts' stated objections to an earlier redistricting proposal in drafting a new bill to help distance the Legislature from the politically-charged task of shaping redistricting decisions.
Ricketts vetoed a redistricting reform bill that was passed by the Legislature last year, citing concerns with the constitutionality of some of its provisions.
"We've taken into account the governor's concerns," Harr said in presenting his bill to the Legislative Council's executive board.Â
Harr's bill (LB216) is one of two redistricting proposals introduced this year and the Omaha senator said he is willing to work on a compromise agreement with Sen. John Murante of Gretna, chief sponsor of LB653.
Murante partnered with former Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha in offering the bipartisan bill that was vetoed last year.
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Although the Legislature is nonpartisan, Murante is a Republican and both Mello and Harr are Democrats.
Under Harr's plan, redistricting proposals would be authored by an independent citizens commission and presented to the Legislature for approval or rejection.
Equal population among districts would be the primary consideration in realigning districts following each federal census.
Even though it is nonpartisan, the Legislature typically has responded to partisan considerations in reapportioning Nebraska's congressional districts, most recently splitting Sarpy County in a manner designed to increase Republican voting strength in metropolitan Omaha's competitive 2nd Congressional District.
Reapportionment of legislative districts also has tended to drift into partisan territory at times.
Representatives of Common Cause Nebraska, Nebraskans for Civic Reform and the League of Women Voters of Nebraska testified in support of Harr's bill.
Resolution seeks new state flag
In other action, Harr told the committee that his resolution (LR3) proposing a study to determine whether Nebraska should adopt a new state flag probably dates back to when he was in Mrs. Patterson's fourth-grade class at Catlin Elementary School in Omaha.
"Mrs. Patterson did not like our flag," he said.
Nebraska's cluttered state flag is unattractive and unidentifiable, he said.
Ten days after he introduced the resolution, the flag mistakenly flew upside down at the State Capitol and no one noticed, he said.
Nebraska's sesquicentennial year is an ideal time to consider adopting a well-designed, iconic state flag, Suzanne Wise, executive director of the Nebraska Arts Council, told the committee.
It ideally should be "a visual symbol to rally behind," she said.Â
Harr said he recognizes that in a year when Nebraska faces difficult challenges like a sharp decline in anticipated revenue, state budget cuts and ongoing prison reform, the Legislature has "more important things to do" than begin the process of adopting a new state flag.
"But," he suggested, "we can walk and chew gum at the same time."