New state patrol positions debated

Senators began general file debate April 11 on a bill that would fund new positions at the State Patrol.

Wilber Sen. Russ Karpisek, sponsor of LB579, said the bill arose out of concern that the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission (LCC) does not have adequate resources to enforce the state’s Liquor Control Act. He said the intent of the bill is to make several State Patrol investigators available to spend the majority of their time on liquor law enforcement.

Under the bill as introduced, the LCC would enter into enter into an agreement with the State Patrol to hire up to 15 new patrol members who would spend a majority of their time in administration and enforcement of the Nebraska Liquor Control Act.

Karpisek said there currently are 477 officers in the State Patrol, which is the lowest number since 1986. He said nine of those troopers are tasked with liquor law enforcement, but more are needed to keep pace with the proliferation of liquor licensees.

“I believe the State Patrol is doing a tremendous job with the resources it has,” he said. “But those resources aren’t what they need to be.”

A General Affairs Committee amendment, adopted 26-1, reduced the number of troopers to be dedicated to liquor enforcement from 15 to 10.

Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus questioned the need to have members of the State Patrol, who are highly trained in a wide range of law enforcement, engage in administrative regulation tasks.

“That seems to be a tremendous misallocation of public resources,” he said. “I think that we do not need to spend this kind of money on a simple regulatory function.”

Karpisek said he would be willing to reduce the number further in the interest of reducing the bill’s fiscal impact, which, with the original 15 patrol member increase, was estimated to be $1.6 million for fiscal year 2013-14 and $1.3 million for FY2014-15.

“With the budget issues … I more than understand that 10 could be a negotiable number,” he said.

A Karpisek amendment requiring the State Patrol to designate a total of 10 officers to spend a majority of their time enforcing the Liquor Control Act was pending when lawmakers moved to other items on the agenda.