Vehicle donations expanded to veterans, advanced

Political subdivisions would be allowed to donate certain motor vehicles to charitable organizations under a bill given second-round approval April 13.

LB628, introduced by Omaha Sen. Tanya Cook, would allow a political subdivision to donate to a charitable organization any motor vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life. Cook said surplus vehicles could provide reliable work transportation for people in need.

Hoskins Sen. Dave Bloomfield offered an amendment, adopted 25-9, which would prohibit a donation if an employee of the charitable organization or the vehicle recipient were an immediate family member of the political subdivision’s governing body.

“All this amendment seeks to do is to limit who [the recipient] might be,” Bloomfield said. “If we’re going to be giving away vehicles, we shouldn’t be giving them to relatives.”

Cook opposed the amendment, saying it would hinder local control.

A second Bloomfield amendment would have required a political subdivision to publish a newspaper notice within 30 days after a donation specifying the recipient, the vehicle year, make, model and value and the date and location of the donation.

Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery opposed the amendment, saying current open meeting laws already require sufficient public notice.

Cook also opposed the amendment, which failed on a 12-26 vote.

“This would add an additional financial burden on political subdivisions,” she said.

A third Bloomfield amendment would add 501(c)19 organizations to the list of charitable entities eligible to participate in a vehicle donation program. He said the change would allow veterans’ organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars to benefit from the bill.

Following adoption of the final Bloomfield amendment on a 37-0 vote, senators advanced the bill to final reading by voice vote.