Bill would create 15 new state patrol positions

Nebraska would fund 15 new positions at the State Patrol under a bill heard Feb. 4 by the General Affairs Committee.

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.

The exact relationship between the Nebraska State Patrol and the LCC regarding the 15 investigators would be spelled out in an agreement between the two entities, he said.

Hobie Rupe, director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, testified in support of the bill, saying the LCC had its own inspectors prior to 1987. In an effort to consolidate agencies with law enforcement authority under one entity, he said, those inspectors were transferred to the State Patrol.

With the increase of craft breweries, farm wineries and liquor licenses in general, Rupe said, the LCC is in a “reactionary” position when it comes to enforcement.

Jim Moylan of the Nebraska Licensed Beverage Association testified in opposition to the bill, saying local law enforcement is in the best position to deal with violators of the state’s liquor laws.

“We’re not against enforcement, but we’ve always said before that it ought to be local enforcement,” Moylan said. “We recommend that you save money and not pass the bill.”

LB579 is estimated to cost $2.9 million over the next two fiscal years.

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.