Senators old and new share lessons from session
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By JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star
You may think the learning curve was steep in the state Legislature this year because term limits brought in 22 new senators from all over the state.
You would be right.
But seasoned senators say they learned a lot, too.
Senators were candid as they debated on the floor of the Legislature.
“I heard one of our members get up and say that he thought it was wrong that we hire homosexuals as teachers because there’d be too much temptation there. We’re making a very simple and common mistake: We’re confusing homosexuality and pedophiles.
“They’re not one and the same. They’re different. And to make the assumption that they are the same is nothing but bigotry.”
- Sen. Ray Aguilar, Grand Island
“I have yet to see any issue today with regard to the override that was caused by loss of money to someone who’s rich and/or powerful.”
- Sen. Tom White, Omaha
“I reckon success not by how many bills I pass but how many bad bills I stop.”
- Sen. Ernie Chambers, Omaha
“If we really think we can save the world from inside this place, we’ve got another thing coming.”
- Sen. Mike Friend, Omaha
“When Omaha prospers, the rest of us prosper. But when Lincoln prospers, the rest of us prosper as well.”
- Sen. Bill Avery, Lincoln
“I have shot many a gun. I’ve never shot my friends. I’ve never shot myself.”
- Sen. Norm Wallman, Cortland
“We can argue on this floor that people didn’t know what they were voting on (when they repealed the Class I schools bill). - Half of us wouldn’t be here maybe, I probably wouldn’t be here, if people knew what they were voting on.”
- Sen. Russ Karpisek, Wilber
“Any bill we pass in here could be unconstitutional.”
- Sen. DiAnna Schimek, Lincoln
“The law of this state is whatever 25 people say it is.”
- Sen. Carol Hudkins, Malcolm
Through the glass
Lobbyists, who represent special interest groups, inhabit the Rotunda during the legislative session. Here’s a sampling of what three veteran lobbyists with many clients have seen this session:
“There were sea changes in the legislative body, but we didn’t see any diminution of the work product or in the ability to get things done. - This session showed that we have an amazing ability to adapt. There was a movement of unseasoned senators to veterans in a short period of time.”
- Larry Ruth
“One thing hasn’t changed. The individual domination of Senator Chambers. That has not wavered. That has not diminished. He put his mark on bills. He slowed things down. Pieces of legislation look different because of his influence.”
- Richard Lombardi
“Term limits had a lot less impact than people thought it would, due to the caliber of senators elected. - They did the things that needed to get done. And they did it without a lot of rancor. - The real story of the session was the 31-year-old with two years experience who was speaker and who did a hell of a job.”
- Walt Radcliffe
The digital word around the statehouse
Bloggers on Paging Power, at pagingpower.blogspot.com, recently commented on the idea of prohibiting lobbyists from sending notes to senators while the Legislature is in session:
“The lobby plays a valued role in lawmaking at times and is not the real problem. The problem, if you want to deem one, is the senators listening and blindly following the lobby, displacing the interests of those they represent. Although it may change an image, abolishing the note system will not change lobbyist to senator communication. Why hate the lobbyists? The senators are the ones pushing the buttons!”
Sen. Mick Mines of Blair distributes an electronic newsletter. He likes to end each one with definitions. These are a few.
tes.ti.mo.ny [tes-tuh-moh-nee] - evidence by a person in support or opposition to a suspected bill; proof.
tes.ti.mon.ey [tes-tuh-muh-nee] - evidence by a mediocre lawyer in support of billable time to an unsuspecting client; spoof
pur.ga.to.ry - A place or condition of suffering, expiation, or remorse.
pur.ga.ppro.pri.a.tions - Yep, it’s the same.
Captain & Tennille - Bug-eyed keyboardist Daryl Dragon unexplainably wore a captain’s hat at all times. Buxom brunette singer Toni Tennille fashionably wore Peter Tork hair at all times.
Cobra & Tonyille - Vigorous young senator Tony Fulton; ambitiously wears legislative aspirations on his sleeve at all times. Long-time facilitator of broken legislative aspirations Ernie Chambers; wears Richard Simmons-like hair at all times (but no silky shorts and tank top).
Capital Punishment - The infliction of the death penalty as revenge for committing certain crimes.
Capitol Punishment - The infliction of the dolt penalty as revenge for committing certain bills.
And last:
intaxication - euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
- From news reports
In a survey, senators both new and experienced wrote about lessons this session — everything from the effects of term limits to the civility and collegiality on the floor to the importance of being prepared.
Several mentioned the valuable instruction from the senior member of the Legislature, Ernie Chambers of Omaha, who has served 37 years.
“I learned and we all learned from Senator Chambers, who serenaded us, read poetry to us, wrote poetry, told biblical stories, recounted history, provided lessons in constitutional law and explained the rules and procedures of the Legislature,” said Lincoln Sen. DiAnna Schimek, the second senior member with 19 years served.
Even though he did it primarily for the benefit of new senators, she said, everybody learned and was entertained.
Sen. Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center, who has been around seven years, said he also continued to learn from Chambers, who reads and understands the majority of the bills that will affect — in one way or another — everyone in Nebraska.
Sen. Kent Rogert of Tekamah requested and received a seat next to Chambers. He learned from his neighbor how to slow down legislation with certain motions and propose amendments to make bills better.
Omaha Sen. Mike Friend, also a seven-year veteran, said in-depth experience and years of work in the legislative environment are valuable, but hard work and aggressiveness, which he learned from Speaker Mike Flood of Norfolk, are equally important.
Knowing the rules helps senators do their jobs better. Sen. Chris Langemeier of Schuyler expanded his knowledge of procedure by spending a great deal of time in the presiding officer’s chair.
“With an increased understanding of the rules, it has allowed me to be more effective as a legislator,” he said.
While civility in the outside world sometimes seems to be diminishing, it thrived this year in the Legislature.
“I was reminded of the need for civility, trust and earning respect,” said Sen. Greg Adams of York.
After Sen. Tim Gay of Papillion took a lead position to work vigorously against Omaha Sen. Don Preister’s priority bill, a constitutional amendment to raise senators’ salaries, Preister rose above petty politics. The next day, he was the deciding vote to advance from committee Gay’s priority bill on income tax deductions for the Nebraska educational savings plan trust.
“Because of Senator Preister’s actions, my bill was passed by the full Legislature,” Gay said.
“Even those who are your political and personal opposite will be your ally many times in a session,” Rogert said.
Making a budget proved educational for five new senators.
Lincoln Sen. Tony Fulton said the process could use some repair.
The budget is not scrutinized by most senators because of the immense size of programs, agencies and commissions. There is time only for committee members to look closely at 5 percent of a given request, he said.
Sen. Lavon Heidemann of Elk Creek ran the Appropriations Committee. Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff said Heidemann was an excellent role model for patience, allowing members to debate openly and intervening only when it was time to make a decision.
The first year of term limits proved interesting to many.
For Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, term limits appeared to increase the authority and power of the executive branch of government, evidenced by senators’ unwillingness to override the governor’s vetoes on the budget.
“We lost a great deal of institutional experience,” said Sen. Gwen Howard of Omaha. But she was impressed with senators’ willingness to do their homework to prepare for debate on bills.
Chambers and Flood taught Sen. Tom Carlson of Holdrege about preparedness and presentation.
Preparation was also an important lesson for new Omaha Sen. Pete Pirsch.
“There is a great deal of work required to be an effective legislator,” he said. “Reading and analyzing hundreds of lengthy bills and amendments, responding to constituent questions and input and numerous other tasks require great amounts of time.
“So preparation and time management are key skills I mastered out of necessity.”
Part of being prepared, said Sen. Annette Dubas of Fullerton, is never being afraid to ask questions.
“I need the benefits of institutional memory and expertise,” she said.
Committee work gave several senators meaningful experience.
Lincoln Sen. Danielle Nantkes said major policy debates greatly benefitted from extensive committee consideration.
“We also witnessed the disorder that can arise when committees are unable to reach consensus,” she said.
Sen. Deb Fischer of Valentine learned a lot about running a committee. Past and present chairs taught her the importance of being thorough, inclusive, well-researched and flexible.
With help from diverse and experienced members of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, she said, “We were able to advance important legislation from the floor early in the session, which helped to ultimately get the bills passed.”
The nonpartisan nature of the Legislature impressed Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery.
“It’s not until you actually are a participant in the process that you realize how true it really is and how important it is to effective policymaking,” he said.
The urban/rural divide is more real than partisan politics, he said.
And lastly, this lesson from Sen. Tom Hansen of North Platte: “Some ideas never die. Don’t give up on a bill ’til sine die. Patience is a virtue.”
Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.
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