Some big proposals landed in the laps of state senators Wednesday during another round of bill introduction.
Among the proposals were a proposed constitutional amendment offered by Sen. Tom Briese of Albion that would provide full state funding of classroom education in Nebraska's public schools, a fundamental change that would result in substantial property tax reduction.
Currently school districts in Nebraska levy property taxes at the local level to supplement state aid distributed through a complicated formula.
"The stark reality is the failure of the state to properly fund K-12 education has created a property tax crisis in Nebraska," Briese said. Â
"This constitutional amendment would end that crisis."
Another proposed constitutional amendment authored by Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha would allow senators to serve three consecutive four-year terms rather than the current limit of two terms.
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Those proposals would require voter approval in 2022 if placed on the ballot by the Legislature.Â
In another proposal, Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha sponsored a bill that would appropriate $52 million to fund construction or expansion of a community corrections facility with 300 new beds in the Omaha metropolitan area.
Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings introduced a bill that would allow voters to designate an agent to deliver their early ballots to the county election commissioner or county clerk once they have voted, a proposal that would appear to authorize a practice that has become described as ballot-harvesting.Â
Among proposals introduced Wednesday:Â
* HISTORY LICENSE PLATES: Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha proposed legislation (LB317) to allow motor vehicle owners to purchase a new category of license plates designed to reflect Nebraska history.
* FINANCIAL LITERACY REQUIREMENT: High school students would be required to pass a personal finance or financial literacy course before they could graduate high school under a bill (LB327) from Sen. Julie Slama of Peru.
* COMMUNITY WORK RELEASE CENTERS: Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha sponsored a bill (LB334) to empower the state's Division of Parole Supervision to contract with private providers to establish community work release and treatment centers at various locations throughout the state.
* MEDICAID NURSING SERVICES: Sen. John Stinner of Gering introduced a bill (LB340) to create a separate program to fund providers of nursing facility services for Medicaid beneficiaries.
* MALCOLM X DAY: May 19 would become Malcolm X Day, a state holiday, under a proposal (LB349) entered by Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney.Â
* YOUTH-IN-CARE BILL OF RIGHTS: A bill of rights for youths in community care would be created in a proposal (LB357) from Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt.
* MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks would change the law (LB359) to add a multicultural education requirement for all public elementary, middle and secondary schools, and require the Nebraska Department of Education to hire a full-time multicultural education consultant.
* GAMES OF CHANCE AT FAIRS: The Nebraska State Fair or county fairs could have games of chance in a bill (LB371) brought by Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island.