(NE) Prenatal care for illegal immigrants among laws taking effect today

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120719/NEWS/707199903/1707#prenatal-care-for-illegal-immigrants-among-laws-taking-effect-today

LINCOLN (AP) — Nebraska will loosen its sales-tax limit on cities, allow counties to fight black-tailed prairie dogs and restore prenatal care coverage to illegal immigrants after a series of new laws takes effect today.

Those new laws are among more than 160 measures approved during this year's legislative session. Others going into effect today include Gov. Dave Heineman's tax cut plan and measures designed to help local governments.

New laws generally take effect three months after the Legislature adjourns for the year, unless lawmakers specify a different date.

Advocates for Nebraska's cities say a new sales tax law will help them lower property taxes, build swimming pools and meet other needs. Cities will have the power to impose a sales tax as high as 2 percent if they win support from 70 percent of a city council and a simple majority of voters. State law had previously capped the rate at 1.5 percent.

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