COMPROMISE ON COMMITTEE MAKEUP ALLOWS SCHOOL FINANCE SUTDY TO MOVE FORWARD

Senator Wendy DeBoer COMPROMISE ON COMMITTEE MAKEUP ALLOWS SCHOOL FINANCE SUTDY TO MOVE FORWARD

LINCOLN- With the promise of a compromise in hand, state lawmakers advanced a bill on Thursday to create a committee that will study public school finance in Nebraska. To help move the bill (LB132) forward, Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington agreed to scrap her proposal creating an independent commission of senators, education officials and tax experts to study the state aid formula known as TEEOSA (Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act) and recommend changes to the Legislature.

DeBoer, who said she was open to changing her bill in order to push the issue forward, heeded a suggestion made by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn to make the Legislature the one to do the review. When the bill returns for the next round of consideration by lawmakers, it will likely call for a committee of 11 legislators representing various geographic and political interests of the state.

After the vote, Linehan reiterated that she believes the responsibility to study and recommend any changes to TEEOSA rests with the Legislature.

"We can't outsource our work," she said. "Nobody else is going to solve this."

Multiple reports may emerge from the study, including a majority report as well as a minority report for lawmakers to consider. Linehan said if nothing else, the study would help state senators broaden their knowledge base of the state aid formula.

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