Chambers, who can talk for hours, has perfected his filibuster technique. Supporters of a bill must have at least 33 votes to stop a filibuster at each of three rounds of voting.
NANCY HICKS / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, December 14, 2007 6:00 pm
State Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln will not be introducing a right-to-hunt-and-fish constitutional amendment in January.
He’ll wait until 2009, after State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha retires.
It’s the practical thing to do, Fulton says.
Chambers successfully has fought previous right-to-hunt amendments, wearing down supporters with his filibustering ways.
“This (2008 session) is a short session. And Stonewall Jackson will still be here,” Fulton says.
He says he won’t waste any of his colleagues’ time with a public hearing on a lost cause.
Other issues Chambers strongly opposes are also on hold awaiting a Legislature without Ernie.
Nebraska Right to Life likely would offer more incremental approaches to dismantling Roe v. Wade except for Chambers, said Julie Schmit-
Albin, director of the statewide organization.
Such ideas as requiring abortion clinics to offer ultrasound to women considering terminating their pregnancies likely will be part of a post-Ernie agenda.
And Planned Parenthood “can figure we will be coming after them” and the funding the agency gets from the state, Schmit-Albin said.
“Planned Parenthood has been able to rely on Senator Chambers. They haven’t had to have a lobbying presence. Now they’re going to have to hire a big-gun lobbyist,” she said.
Over the years, Chambers, who can talk for hours, has perfected his filibuster technique.
And supporters must have at least 33 votes to stop a filibuster at each of the three rounds of voting. Because of Chambers, all pro-life legislation must meet that 33-vote standard, Albin said.
“And keeping 33 (senators) cobbled together is a mighty task,” she said.
The filibuster creates a backlog. Too many filibusters and senators see the chance of passing their special projects dwindle.
One year, Chambers put an hourglass on his desk, the slowly dripping sand a reminder of his ability to eat up hours of legislative time.
Other issues he traditionally has opposed include creating more message license plates; tying driver’s licenses to such youthful crimes and indiscretions as minor in possession, grades or class attendance; making the seat belt requirements a primary offense so police could stop a car for seat belt violations even if there are no other law violations; changing the method of execution from electric chair to lethal injection.
So, Fulton will practice patience for a year.
“I can articulate a good case (for the putting the right to hunt into the constitution),” he says. “But those arguments are not going to work with Ernie.
“And he’s just the best at stopping legislation.”
Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.