Speaker of the Legislature, Mike Flood, announced that hearings scheduled to begin this afternoon at 1:30 will be cancelled so legislators can return home ahead of the storm and the public won’t be caught in it traveling to and from the Capitol in Lincoln.

The hearings scheduled for this afternoon have been rescheduled for Monday, February 13th, beginning at 9:30am.

“Bill hearings are an integral part of the legislative process, and it is important for both senators and citizens to be able to attend public hearings,” Speaker Flood said in a written statement. “This change in schedule will help keep folks off the roads during potentially unsafe conditions.”

For the legislative agenda, click here for the Nebraska Unicameral website.

Sen. Steve Lathrop/Unicameral Information Office photo

A bill increasing the penalties against those who assault doctors and nurses has advanced in the Unicameral.

Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop sponsors LB 677 that would crack down on those who attack a health care provider. Lathrop told colleagues Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates health care workers are twice as likely as others to experience violence in the workplace.

“And there are two reasons. One is, as you suggest, they can’t turn people down in the emergency room. They have to take these people in,” Lathrop responded to a question posed during flood debate. “And a lot of these assaults are happening on emergency room physicians, doctors, nurses.”

Some senators expressed sympathy for the situations outlined by Lathrop, but questioned whether the state should designate certain classes of workers for enhanced protection.

Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha opposed the measure, stating she’s concerned about carving out classes of workers for extra protection.

“I think the better public policy approach to dealing with this is to deal with workplace violence and assaults in the workplace,” according to Council.

Despite the reservations, the Unicameral has advanced the bill easily, sending it to the next round of debate.

AUDIO: Unicameral debate on LB 677 [1 hour]

Sen. Tom Harkin

Federal officials have agreed to modify a plan that’s designed to protect children from dangerous jobs on family farms.

The U.S. Labor Department has been under fire from farm groups in Nebraska and nationwide because the proposed rules were seen as too restrictive.

U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa says he’s encouraged to see the rules are being reconsidered by labor leaders.

Harkin says, “They need to get additional information in, go back to the drawing table and write a better regulation.”

The original proposal spelled out that children younger than 16 would be banned from using most power equipment, while those under 18 would be barred from working in locations like grain bins and feed lots.

The new version will reportedly contain more exemptions for kids whose parents own or run the farms on which they’re working.

“I hope they’ll reach agreement on a regulation that protects kids but also recognizes family agriculture,” Harkin says. “It’s one thing to say that kids shouldn’t be operating fork lifts or humongous tractors or combines and to say they can’t even drive a garden tractor.”

Harkin, a Democrat, says he agrees with those who’ve spoken out against the proposed regulations which would tear down generations of farm family traditions.

“There has to be some balance, some rational thinking,” Harkin says. “Some of what they’re proposing, fine, but I talked to Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack about this. He says it would go so far to say kids couldn’t even drive a tractor across the road, well, kids have been driving tractors for years.”

Labor department officials say they’ll work with the Ag department and others to make sure the new rules reflect rural communities’ concerns.

Sen. Nelson speaks at the Nebraska Breakfast in Washington. (From Left to Right: Sen. Johanns, Congressmen Smith and Fortenberry. Congressman Terry could not attend.

If you get to Washington, you might want to schedule to have breakfast with your Congressional delegation.

The Nebraska Congressional delegation has announced its schedule for the Nebraska Breakfast, held each Wednesday in Washington, D. C. when Congress is in session.

“We’re pleased to kick off another year of this great tradition and look forward to the give-and-take these breakfasts offer,” The delegation said in a joint-written statement. “Nebraskans have a chance to introduce themselves, tell us why they are in Washington, and what issues are of particular concern to them. All five members of the delegation are able to respond to their issues, tell them what we’re working on that particular week and offer some insight as to what they might expect.”

It is too late for the first breakfast, hosted this morning by Sen. Ben Nelson. Nelson will host all the 2012 Nebraska Breakfasts. They are scheduled for:

February: 1, 8, 15, 29

March: 7, 21, 28

April: 18, 25

May: 9, 16

June: 6, 20, 27

July: 11, 18, 25

August: 1

September: 12

Congressman Smith speaks at Nebraska Breakfast (Photos courtesy of Congressman Smith's office)

Sen. Hugh Butler originated the Nebraska Breakfast in 1943. Butler wanted to meet informally each week to discuss federal legislation with other members of the Nebraska delegation. Members began invited guests. Soon, a tradition was born.

Now in its sixth decade, the Nebraska Breakfast is the oldest and only ongoing state gathering for constituents on Capitol Hill. Every Wednesday when the House and Senate are both in session, Nebraskans can meet and visit with their delegation.

Breakfast begins at 8am, usually held in the Dirksen Senate Buffet on the “B” level of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

To make a reservation, contact one of the members of the delegation, either by phone or through their websites:

Senator Nelson: 202-224-6551; Bennelson.senate.gov

Senator Johanns: 202-224-4224; Johanns.senate.gov

Rep. Terry: 202-225-4155; Leeterry.house.gov

Rep. Fortenberry 202-225-4806; Fortenberry.house.gov

Rep. Smith: 202-225-6435; Adriansmith.house.gov

Aaron Curry — 7:45 a.m. The 6’2, 275-pound defensive tackle will choose Nebraska and Iowa.

Alonzo Moore — 9 a.m. Nebraska, Northwestern State and Louisiana Tech. 6-’2, 175-pound athlete.

Devian Shelton — 11 a.m. 6’2, 185-pound cornerback, is considering Nebraska, Washington and Oregon State.

Andrus Peat — ESPNU will carry his live announcement at 12:30 p.m. The 6’7, 305-pound offensive tackle will pick between Nebraska, Stanford and USC

Vincent Valentine — 1 p.m. The 6’4, 313-pound defensive tackle narrows choices to Nebraska, Illinois and Florida

Raymond Ford — TBD. Nebraska, Washington State, Cal, or Utah are among the 5-’10, 165-pound cornerback’s choices.

In his State of the State address, Heineman declared that the state is moving forward with planning and designing a state health insurance exchange. He stated the state has worked hard for the past two years on that portion of the federal health care overhaul. Heineman asserted “…Nebraska will not default to the federal government regarding a health insurance exchange.”

Heineman, during an interview with Nebraska Radio Network, addresses criticism about waiting to create the exchange. He says it doesn’t make sense to move forward now.

“I think anybody with a little common sense wouldn’t make a major decision about this knowing that within 90 days of that decision, the United States Supreme Court could rule it unconstitutional,” Heineman says. “I’m saying; just use a little common sense here.”

The state has run on two-tracks regarding the federal healthcare law. It has been working to implement the mandates of the law even as it has joined with 25 other states to challenge its constitutionality.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the challenge to the 2010 healthcare law during oral arguments in March. A decision could be handed down by the court in late June.

Heineman tells us that doing anything more than planning could prove to be a waste of time if the Obama Administration loses in court.

“So, I just say, ‘Hey, let’s wait for the decision, but let’s don’t us make a major decision till we know how the court has acted,’” Heineman says.

AUDIO: Brent Martin reports [:40]

AUDIO: Brent Martin interviews Gov. Heineman on a state healthcare exchange [2:20]

Sen. Brenda Council/Unicameral Information Office photo

Nebraska voters might decide this fall whether state residents will have a constitutional right to hunt, fish and trap.

The legislature has advanced a constitutional amendment, LR 40CA. One more successful vote sends it to the ballot in November.

Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha, during floor debate, accused supporters of moving to head off a threat that doesn’t exist.

“There’s not threat. It’s not real,” Council stated. “It’s imagined and, in fact, it’s exaggerated.”

Other senators criticized the measure as unnecessary and questioned whether it would spawn unintended consequences. They suggested the measure be pulled until supporters more thoroughly considered their objections.

Council, though, proved to be the most vocal critics during debate in the legislative chamber.

She claimed the resolution had little to do with hunting or fishing, but is really just another attempt to keep the Humane Society of the United States from coming to Nebraska to regulate livestock production.

“If we’re afraid of the Humane Society of the United States coming in and stopping the residents of the state of Nebraska from livestock production, why don’t we put it in our constitution that Nebraskans have a constitutional right to raise livestock for consumption,” Council said. “Get to the point.”

Supporters say the threat is real.

Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln told colleagues he had hesitated to support the constitutional amendment in the past, believing it wasn’t necessary.

Sen. Pete Pirsch/Unicameral Information Office photo

“But the reason I’ve changed my mind is because I’ve had a chance to reflect on what is actually going on. And that is, the urbanization of Nebraska is causing an entire generation to be removed from theses traditions that we have grown up assuming,” according to Fulton. “And I dare say that if this goes one more generation then folks like HSUS will have fertile ground with which to operate.”

Sponsor Pete Pirsch of Omaha brushed aside the reservations raised by critics and state the resolution is pretty simple.

“The underlying purpose of this LR is to preserve and protect what exists now,” Pirsch said.

LR 40CA needs to win final approval before it goes to the November ballot.

Miriam Kelle speaks with reporters at the Capitol

The sister of a man brutally murdered nearly 30 years ago campaigns against executing his killer.

A mixture of Mennonite faith and practicality leads Miriam Kelle of Beatrice to come out against the execution of Michael Ryan. Kelle says her faith compels her to speak out against the death penalty. Kelle adds, though, that each time the legislature debates capital punishment, the news media recounts how Michael Ryan tortured and murdered her brother, James Thimm, at his religious compound near Rulo in far southeastern Nebraska in 1984.

Kelle uses a coping mechanism whenever debate at the Capitol turns to capital punishment.

“We just try not to read the paper,” Kelle tells reporters at the Capitol. “You know, I try really hard not. My co-workers are reading it. You just try to go on and do your job that you’re supposed to do.”

That approach didn’t work this year. Kelle actually gathered numerous newspaper accounts of the murder for Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha who sponsors LB 276, a bill that would eliminate the death penalty. Under the legislation, life in prison without the possibility of parole would be the ultimate penalty in Nebraska. The legislature debated the bill for two days last week before Council moved to indefinitely postpone it. The bill could return for debate later this session.

Kelle says it’s difficult to re-read accounts of her brother’s death.

“And the really hard thing is when you read something that you kind of forgot about and it comes crashing back, that’s the hard part,” Kelle says with emotion in her voice.

An execution date of March 6th has been set for Ryan in the 1984 murder. A delay will begin the news cycle over. Kelle contends if Ryan had been sentenced to life he would have been forgotten long ago and she wouldn’t have to relive her brother’s brutal death.

AUDIO:  Brent Martin reports [:40]