Women's health funding issue draws filibuster on budget bill

The Legislature spent more than eight hours Wednesday debating the state budget into the evening, turning away one amendment that would have restored money to a Department of Roads fund and failing to reach a compromise on funding for Title X women's health services.

Speaker Jim Scheer told senators as 9 p.m. approached they'd had ample opportunity to try to discuss the bill (LB327), but the debate had not been fruitful for development of good legislation.

"I'm hoping in the future that we will take our duties seriously," he said. "This is the main-line budget. ... I know a great many of you were dismayed that we didn't get an opportunity to actually discuss this bill."

The Legislature should have spent the eight hours talking about the depth and details of the budget that the Appropriations Committee put together over more than three months, he said.

Read more: http://journalstar.com/legislature/women-s-health-funding-issue-draws-filibuster-on-budget-bill/article_c9f10436-b795-5f18-9551-038de5042545.html