Thirty-one bills make the Nebraska Trucking Watch List

Bill introduction is over, and the Nebraska Trucking Legislative Committee met January 21, 2010, to discuss which of the hundreds of bills deserve close monitoring on our part. Ten of the bills are of interest to any Nebraska business that has employees. These are proposals to make changes in workers’ compensation, the Congress of Industrial Relations processes, and employment security. We monitor these and let the State Chamber take the lead in addressing employer concerns.

One exception is LB 563. This is Senator Steve Lathrop’s carryover bill which hopes to address the issue of independent contractors in the construction industry. We have been working diligently, and almost daily, with Senator Lathrop and his staff to be sure that the unique nature of independent contracting in trucking is not adversely affected by the bill.

The committee will actively support LR 286, a proposed constitutional amendment that will add the existence of the Highway Trust Fund to the state constitution, making it nearly impossible to divert funds for non-roads purposes. We also support:
• LB 821, a bill that amends state law to specify that preservation and maintenance of our existing roadways is the top priority of the Nebraska Department of Roads
• LB 808, a bill that brings Nebraska’s CDL processes into compliance with federal requirements and ensures continued federal funding for highway safety programs.
• LB 914, a bill increasing the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident.

These three bills, plus LB 805, the annual adoption of the federal motor carrier safety regulations, are set for hearing today.

We will oppose LB 1004, a bill to allow mini-trucks and other low-speed vehicles to operate on public roadways. A similar bill, LB 1100, seeks to allow low-speed vehicles on roads posted at a 35-mile-per-hour or lower speed limit, if the vehicles are titled, registered and insured. However, the committee had not yet seen the text of LB 1100 at the time of its meeting.

If you would like a copy of the association’s complete bill list, including the carry-over bills, click here.