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LB504A advances after senators follow chamber tradition for appropriation bills
Summary
Senator Boston's LB504A, which would appropriate funds to support enforcement of LB504, advanced to E & R initial unanimously; senators discussed tradition that A bills that implement passed bills are typically supported even by dissenters to the underlying policy.
Senator Boston opened on LB504A, describing it as an A bill ‘‘to provide funding to and for the enforcement portion of LB504’’ and said the Attorney General would need to hire an assistant attorney general to support enforcement. Several senators spoke in favor of advancing the A bill, and Senator Conrad spoke in general opposition to the Attorney General’s existing litigation strategy while nonetheless saying she would follow chamber tradition and support the A bill at this stage.
Senator Conrad said the A bill seeks to expand personnel and funding for the Attorney General’s office and criticized previous management of settlement funds, but she stated: "I will support this A bill at this juncture" in recognition of the Legislature’s tradition that the A bill accompanying a bill that has passed should be advanced to allow technical and funding work to proceed.
Senator Spivey, a member of the Appropriations Committee, spoke about prior agency hearings and questioned decision-making within the Attorney General’s office, noting concerns about the office signing on to national litigation and whether that represents Nebraska’s interests.
Senator Boston closed; the clerk recorded an advancing vote of 41 ayes and no nays on the advancement of LB504A to E & R initial.
The transcript does not show additional amendments or a final passage vote on LB504A within the provided excerpt.
