State funding of probation administration proposed

The facility and administration costs of state probation offices would be paid with state funds under a bill heard by the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Jan. 29.

Under LB427, introduced by North Platte Sen. Mike Groene, counties would no longer be required to provide office space and necessary facilities for probation services as of June 30, 2015.

Probation administration is an unfunded state mandate, Groene said, and the burden of funding it should not fall on counties. Judicial reforms likely will result in more required probation services in the near future, he said, which will only increase the tax burden on counties.

“I’m not against probation … but, there’s no free lunch,” Groene said.

Larry Dix, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials, testified in support of the bill. Lawmakers will have to address the issue of property taxes this session, he said, and unfunded mandates are a part of that equation.

“Counties support what we’re doing in probation because we see the big picture,” Dix said, but they also need relief from the pressure of unfunded mandates.

Fred Uhe, testifying on behalf of Sarpy County, agreed. Testifying in support of the bill, he said transparency also should be a concern when it comes to public policy decisions.

“When you have state responsibilities that are being funded by the counties, you really don’t know the true costs of the services,” Uhe said.

No one testified in opposition to the bill and the committee took no immediate action on it.