News Release: Bill Tracking and Legislative Testimony for Feb. 11
NEWS RELEASE from the Platte Institute
Contact: Adam Weinberg
(402) 452-3737
aweinberg@platteinstitute.org
Bill Tracking and Legislative Testimony for Feb. 11
Property Tax Limit on Agenda, Real Estate Licensing in Committee
LINCOLN, NE – Sen. Lou Ann Linehan’s Legislative Bill 103, a property tax limitation that would require a special hearing and local board votes before tax increases from increased property valuations could be adopted, now appears on the legislative debate schedule. LB103 was advanced by the Revenue Committee last week, and is currently listed first on the General File agenda on the Nebraska Legislature website.
The exact day and time LB103 will reach full debate depends on how long it will take senators to move through second round (Select File) debate on a batch of 22 prior bills that are currently at the top of this week’s agenda.
In legislative testimony, the Platte Institute will testify on two bills related to real estate licensing before the Legislature’s Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee today. Legislative Bills 384 and 454 will be heard in State Capitol room 1507. The hearing begins at 1:30 p.m. LB384 and LB454 are currently second and third on the agenda.
Platte Institute Senior Fellow for Job Licensing Reform Laura Ebke will testify in a neutral capacity on LB384. The bill would increase the educational requirements for obtaining a real estate license in Nebraska, including, according to the bill’s statement of intent, to increase the “experience requirements for becoming a designated broker from 2 years to five years.”
Ebke will highlight the impact passage of LB299, the new Occupational Board Reform Act, would have on proposals to increase licensing requirements. Under the Act, licensing requirements for real estate and other professions will be subject to a legislative review every five years with the intention of identifying less restrictive regulatory and licensing alternatives.
“The Legislature has expressed its belief on multiple occasions—including with the creation of the so-called 407 process for health care credentialing, and now with the 299 effort from last year—that state regulation of occupations should be done carefully, and only when the evidence indicates that it’s necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of Nebraskans,” said Ebke.
Later in the hearing, Platte Institute Director of Government Relations Nicole Fox will testify in support of Sen. Robert Clements’ LB454. The bill removes the requirement that applicants for a real estate license be a high school graduate or the holder of a certificate of high school equivalency. According to the bill’s statement of intent, “the Nebraska Real Estate Commission has interpreted this statute to deny licensing certain home school graduates” unless they also acquire a GED at an additional cost.
“Homeschool diplomas are accepted by most colleges and universities across the country, so it only makes sense that individuals with homeschool diplomas who have completed all other real estate specific coursework approved by the Nebraska Real Estate Commission be eligible for licensing as a real estate salesperson or broker,” said Fox.
Ebke and Fox’s testimonies are posted online at PlatteInstitute.org/Testimony.
To schedule an interview on these topics, please contact Adam Weinberg at (402) 452-3737 or aweinberg@platteinstitute.org.
The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. More media resources are available at PlatteInstitute.org/Media.