Evening star., 1937-02-23
LEC|SLATURETEST
NEAR |NNEBRASKA
551 Measures introduced,
Big Cut, but Major Work
Lies Ahead.
special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
LINCOLN, Nebr February 20 (N~A.
N.A.).-Nebraska effort to simplify,
expedite and improve legislation-the
unicameral Legislature - finally has
embarked on its true testing period,
when it shall be decided whether the
smaller, one-house system means i'm
proved quality OF output.
After a last-day flourish Of new
bills in strange contrast to its previ-
ously methodical pace, the unicameral
Legislature has begun the actual busi-
ness of deciding which of the 55l
shall survive. The 551 figure is in it
self victory for the new Legislature.
In the last bicameral session, 1,036
bills were introduced in both houses.
There were many surprised persons
when the final day for introduction
by members produced 21l measures,
an all-time one-day legislative rec
ord for Nebraska. There had been
forecasts that the unicameral Legis-
lature would not consider, in all, more
than 300.
Many to Die at Once.
The fact that the 30O-mark was
greatly exceeded presents no real oc-
casion for alarm. Whether the Legis-
lature be one-house or two-house, the
membership large or small, there are
a certain number of routine bills, such
as the personal injury, permission-to-
sue-the-State type, which press for
attention. Despite the unicameral
rule, which demands that the intro
ducer is bound to support bill on
the floor, a great number of measures
will be killed almost Immediately
One member predicted that not 2
out of 10 of the measures will ever see
the light Of day" Only few are
expected to result in major contro-
versy.
Ease of ironing out differences, lack
of long arguments and lack of Gus
tomary confusion have proved among
the biggest surprises of the stream
lined legislative session.
The speed of the Nations first
modern unicameral Legislature was
demonstrated in the time required for
organization. 1t was expected to take
three weeks; instead, it required nine
legislative days.
Taxpayers to Save.
A considerable saving for Nebraska
Is expected. Total cost for the 1885
bicameral session was 1902 ,593.49. An
estimate for the unicameral Assembly
for 80 legislative days-probable
length of the sessions s130,018.
Salaries and mileage for members
Of the Senate in 1885 totaled s27 ,297;
the House, $4,000. Legislators also
were paid extra for a special session
in 1885. For the unicameral Legis-
lature $4,000 is the limit for salaries
of the 43 members for the biennium.
regardless of how many times they
meet. Mileage expense will be Sl,2O4.
The unicameral Assembly has not,
of course, eliminated all legislative
faults. While 1t is designed to center
responsibility for legislation, there
already has been impressed the need
for checks to prevent hasty and ill
considered lawmaking
Titles Become Problem.
A campaign of sorts is under way
to rescind action by which the legis-
lators decreed the unicameral Assem-
bly, to be "the Senate" and themselves
Senators. Many are. of the opinion
the term is allied too closely to the
discarded bicameral system.
There were several reasons why the
legislators were eager officially to pro-
claim themselves Senators. Mem
bers of unicameral Legislatures in
Canada and Australia are called plain
'mister," but a class distinction was
created in Nebraska, and a few de-
veloped inferiority complexes, when
members who had served formerly in
the State Senate were greeted by their
familiar title, Senator"
Then, too, a strong reason may be
found in the practice of some jokesters
who slightingly referred to the Rep
resentatives of the people as "unics."
(Copyright, 1887. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)