With one day still to go in this year's legislative session, Nebraska lawmakers gave final approval to more than 100 bills Thursday, sending a wide range of legislation to Gov. Jim Pillen's desk — and saluting senators who will be term-limited this year in a round of glowing speeches.
The Legislature gave third-round approval to 71 bills and another 33 accompanying appropriations bills as the session's clock ticked away Thursday, which marked a productive and upbeat day for lawmakers who this year largely avoided the partisan fights over cultural issues that defined last year's legislative session.
Lawmakers did clash this year over controversial legislation, the Legislature's own rules and the behavior of a lawmaker who was reprimanded for sexualized remarks he made toward colleagues.
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But by Thursday, senators were more often teary-eyed than red-eyed as they offered farewell speeches to colleagues set to depart the Legislature next week, barring a special session.
"I was not expecting to get emotional about this," Sen. Jen Day of Omaha said as she offered a tribute to fellow Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas. "I think it's so interesting. We're moving at such a frenetic pace sometimes in session, and we get to the very, very end and then when you think about, 'Oh my gosh, I'm not gonna be able to work with these people anymore' and it makes you — it makes me sad."
Still, lawmakers dedicated most of their day to lawmaking, sending more bills to Pillen's desk Thursday than the body had in the previous 58 days combined.
The Legislature had given final approval to 86 bills prior to Thursday, 83 of which Pillen had signed. The governor vetoed one bill and had yet to consider two others as of Thursday morning.
Among the dozens of bills lawmakers sent to Pillen's desk Thursday was LB1092, which would require pornographic websites and other online distributors of "material harmful to minors" to verify the age of website users — a proposal that faced opposition from some lawmakers who characterized the bill as half-baked and raised concerns over its enforceability.
Introduced by Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, the bill would require adult websites, or third-party companies they contract, to verify that users attempting to access the sites are at least 18 years old through a "reasonable age verification method," which could include a photo ID or driver's license or other documentation — such as a credit card statement — that could serve as "a reliable proxy for age."
Murman's bill closely mirrors laws passed in eight other states over the past two years after porn sites to verify the age of users. Pornhub, one of the most popular websites in the world, that have enacted age verification laws.
"So, apparently, it's working," Murman said last this month.
Lawmakers gave the bill final approval on a 35-3 vote.
Among other bills lawmakers sent to Pillen's desk Thursday:
JUSTICE REFORM: LB631, passed on a 39-4 vote, would make a wide array of changes to Nebraska's parole and reentry processes for incarcerated individuals, including allowing inmates with fewer than three years left on their sentence to be placed at community work release and reentry centers, which the state will develop and operate through public-private partnerships.
The bill would also create the Reentry Continuity Advisory Board, which will include the director of the state's prison system and the system's inspector general, among other members tasked with monitoring the efficacy of reentry services.
LB631 also outlines new attendance and training requirements for Nebraska's Board of Parole and calls for the Department of Correctional Services to help reentering inmates obtain a state ID card or driver's license before their release date.
SAFE HAVEN: LB876, advanced on a 47-0 vote, would expand Nebraska's Safe Haven law to allow parents to surrender newborn infants at staffed fire and police stations, in addition to hospitals. The law would apply to infants as old as 90 days old, rather than the 30-day threshold previously allowed.
FELON VOTES: LB20, passed Thursday on a 38-6 vote, would restore voting rights to ex-felons upon completion of their sentence.
FIREFIGHTER FUND: LB686, sent to Pillen's desk on a 43-2 vote, would for firefighters in cities with a population between 5,001 and 100,000 residents.
COURT DEADLINE: LB1167, advanced on a 40-1 vote, requires that detainees who are arrested without a warrant appear before a judge within seven days of their arrest.
GUNS IN SCHOOLS: LB1329, a package of education bills passed on a 40-0 vote, includes legislation that would in schools and at school activities.
DONATE DRUGS: LB1035, passed on a 47-0 vote, would create a prescription drug donation program allowing manufacturers, health care facilities and individuals to donate unopened prescription or over-the-counter drugs for redistribution.
SWORN AND SIGNED: LB1120, sent to Pillen's desk on a 45-0 vote, would require anyone purchasing property within near military installation in most Nebraska counties to sign an affidavit stating they are not affiliated with any foreign government.
GUARD RELIEF: LB1394, passed on a 41-0 vote, exempts members of the Nebraska National Guard from paying income taxes on their service-related earnings.
HISTORIC AGENCY: LB1169, advanced on a 39-4 vote, would make History Nebraska, formerly known as the Nebraska State Historical Society, a state agency whose director would be appointed by and report to the governor.
The Legislature will reconvene next Thursday for the last day of this year's 60-day session.