A invoice to create a brand new specialty license plate in Nebraska led to criticism of the state’s “Select Life” plates on Tuesday and supplied one other preview of the heated debate to come back on abortion.
Debate round Sen. Tom Brandt’s invoice (LB140), which might enable Nebraskans to buy a specialty license plate that “acknowledges and celebrates” their Czech heritage, additionally allowed lawmakers to criticize the state-sponsored plates issued this 12 months.
Brandt mentioned his invoice sought to honor the tens of hundreds of Czechs that immigrated to Nebraska within the late 1800s and early 1900s, settling in cities like Wilber and Milligan — each inside District 32, which he represents — in addition to Prague in Saunders County.
Residents of these cities and lots of others throughout Nebraska proceed to “have or declare Czech” ancestry, Brandt mentioned, and several other cultural festivals and occasions are held in these communities yearly.
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Proceeds from the specialty plates — there are greater than 50 accessible to Nebraska motorists — can be funneled into the Nebraska Division of Motor Automobiles’ money fund and to not any basis supporting a single Czech cultural occasion or place.
A handful of senators mentioned they supported Brandt’s invoice on Tuesday, however debate swerved into a number of lawmakers voicing irritation at each the design of the state’s official license plate, in addition to the rising record of specialty plates listed in statute.
Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard mentioned he can be in favor of “any design apart from the one we now have,” including the sentiment was shared by others.
Nebraska’s latest plates issued this 12 months characteristic a mosaic designed by Hildreth Meiere for the second flooring of the Capitol close to the north entrance depicting a person driving atop clouds with lightning and celestial our bodies within the background.
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The mural represents “the genius of inventive vitality,” former Gov. Pete Ricketts and different state officers mentioned final 12 months.
“We have to introduce laws that may formulate a everlasting license plate,” Erdman mentioned, “and take away authority from the governor or whoever makes these selections. It is peculiar how we determine the designs.”
Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt mentioned whereas she usually opposed creating specialty license plates as a result of they had been typically created to substitute funding for packages the state needs to be supporting as a substitute, signaled she was supportive of Brandt’s invoice.
Hunt and Brandt have sat subsequent to one another within the chamber for a number of years.
However as debate on Day 31 slid previous the midday hour, when the Legislature usually adjourns, Hunt launched an modification to take away the “Select Life” specialty plates from state statute.
If opponents of abortion within the Legislature are profitable in passing a invoice (LB626) by Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston that may ban the observe if cardiac exercise is detected in a fetus — what detractors of the invoice have characterised a full prohibition — then ladies could have no option to make about their very own well being selections, rendering the license plates incorrect, Hunt mentioned.
“In Nebraska, they won’t be able to decide on life,” she mentioned. “They are going to be compelled to hold being pregnant.”
Hunt advised Nebraska as a substitute create license plates that learn “compelled gestation … as a result of what we have to do is precisely mirror the tradition and legal guidelines we now have in Nebraska.”
Senators within the chamber rejected a name of the home — a procedural transfer requiring all lawmakers to return to the ground for the vote — and shot down Hunt’s modification on a 26-4 vote.
Hunt filed a movement to rethink that was not taken up earlier than the Legislature adjourned for the day.
Gov. Pete Ricketts and first woman Susanne Shore revealed the design of the following normal problem Nebraska license plate. The design is a mosaic sample depicting the Genius of Inventive Vitality and is predicated on paintings contained in the Nebraska Capitol.
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Nebraska’s specialty license plates
Down Syndrome Consciousness Message Plates – $5

Donate Life Message Plates – $5

Assist The Arts Message Plates – $5

Ornate Field Turtle Wildlife Conservation Message Plates – $5

Novice Radio Plates – $5

Select Life Message Plates – $5

Josh The Otter-Be Secure Round Water Plates – $5

Vets Get Pets Message Plates – $5

Assist Our Troops Message Plates – $5

Mountain Lion Message Plates – $5

Nebraska 150 Sesquicentennial Plates – $70

Breast Most cancers Message Plates – $5

Sammy’s Superheroes Message Plates – $5

Prostate Most cancers Consciousness Message Plates – $5

The Good Life Is Exterior Message Plates – $5

Massive Horn Sheep Wildlife Conservation Message Plates – $5

Sandhills Crane Wildlife Conservation Message Plates – $5

Native American Cultural Consciousness and Historical past Message Plates – $5

Army Plates, Disabled American Veteran – no further price

Army Plates, Pearl Harbor Survivor – no further price

Army Plates, Gold Star Message – no price

Army Plates, Purple Coronary heart – no further price

Army Plates, Ex-Prisoner of Conflict – no further price

Organizational Plates, Creighton College – $70

Organizational Plates, Henry Doorly Zoo – $70

Organizational Plates, Mates of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum – $70

Organizational Plates, Deliberate Parenthood of the Heartland – $70

Organizational Plates, College of Nebraska-Omaha – $70

Organizational Plates, Corn Growers Affiliation – $70

Organizational Plates, Higher Omaha Chamber of Commerce – $70

Organizational Plates, Nebraska Critical Damage & Line-of-Obligation Demise Response Staff – $70

Organizational License Plate, Cattlemen Analysis and Schooling Basis – $70
Attain the author at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS