To what do we owe the honer??

History
Long time readers and residents of Nebraska are familiar with Matt Connealy. Matt, a Democrat, recently lost the election for the 1st District United States Congressional Seat vacated by retiring RINO Doug Beureter and now held by republican Jeff Fortenberry.

Concealed Carry legislation has as usual been introduced in the Unicameral and was given the designation LB454. Introduced by Jeanne Combs and co-sponsored by 23 other Senators the bill now boasts 25 sponsors.

Connealy is on Board
It seems that in the last week Matt Connealy has officially added his name as a co-sponsor of LB454.

After one of the Congressional debates last fall I had the occassion to ask the Senator why he opposed the previous bill LB256. His response was that it did not mandate training. Anyone remotely familiar with LB256 knows that there was a training requirement as part of that bill.

What ever the reason that brought Matt to the light is moot at this point and the bill has one more vote than I would have counted last week.

I could change my mind. It has been known to happen
In previous posts I have avered that I could not support this bill in it's current form, even before any attempt to attach agregious amendments that usually come from the floor.

I have spent this morning in meetings and negotiations with several Senators and their aides, some of whom are on the Judiciary Committee that will hear public comments on LB454. For the most part they were receptive to the concerns that were expressed about the bill and these items will be addressed when the bill is discussed in committee.

Many of the concerns can be fixed or changed with amendments that add or take away a few words here and there or simply line through ommissions.

In theory this could shape up to something I could support.

The Judiciary Committee
There are 8 Senators on the Judiciary Committee. There are definately 2 no votes to advance it to the floor, those being Chambers and Bourne. There are 6 yes votes that include the person that introduced the bill Combs, 2 co-sponsors Flood, Friend and one Senator who has co-sponsored the bill in the past Aguilar. Pedersen and Foley have said that they support the bill.

Lb454 will make it to the floor, it is there that the real work begins; Preventing the scurolous amendments that Senators like Chambers, Bourne and Schimek will attempt to attach to it.

I didn't think I would ever be saying this but it seems that there is a faint glimmer of hope that it could be a reality this time.

Senator Chambers promised to filibuster LB454
Lastly count on a Chambers filibuster. I spoke with him personally and asked him directly if he intends to do so.

From his own lips;

"I have to. They are counting on me, they need me to do it. It would suprise you the number of Senators that don't want it, that tell their constituency that they are for it to get votes, knowing that I will filibuster it. It makes me the scapegoat when they go back home and tell their voters hey I tried but that darn Ernie did it to you again."

Tell me you haven't heard that from me several times in the past.

Know thine enemy. It is not the Honorable Senator Ernie Chambers (D-Oma)