Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 7

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 84. 19H) LINCOLN. HE. JOURNAL LGGIGLATUnEFnOr.1 PAGH 1 Abortion, waste bills advanced IS Insurance Flag desecration measure killed in Judiciary Committee By Associated Preae Legislature's Judiciary Commit' tee has advanced to the floor bins that would restrict abortion and provide compensation for accidents at a planned low-level nuclear waste site. The committee on Friday also killed LR245, a resolution calling on Congress to petition states for passage of a constitutional amendment against flag desecration.

The resolution, which failed to While most Insurers are sound, flaws in existing regulation need to be promptly addressed to prevent insurance insolvencies from spreading." The report included an extensive review of the problems at Mission Insurance, which was placed into conservatorship by the California Department of Insurance in 1985 and liquidated in 1987. Mission aggressively sold vast numbers of property Insurance policies, and then reinsured this business with other companies. "Most of those were unlicensed carriers that could not write policies themselves, so Mission was -the front' to write business that was transferred to the book? of unregulated companies," the subcom-; mltteesaid. When claims were filed, the reirisur-; ance companies couldn't make pay-; ments to Mission, which in turn couldn't pay the policyholders. The system failedJ! "Like an empty fire IK looked fine until it was heeded," the te-port said.

nent crisis for this industry." But the subcommittee report focused on the significant potential for financial abuses. The "record of Inquiry on both the insurance and thrift Industries shows that relatively few crooks, scoundrels and Incompetents are capable of bankrupting huge companies, and possibly an en-. tire industry," the subcommittee report said. Dlngell called for intensified activity by state insurance commissioners to keep the industry financially sound. "The regulatory system must anticipate and deal effectively with the activities of the pirates and dolts who Inevitably win plague an attractive industry such as insurance, where customers hand over large sums of cash in return for a promise of future benefits," Dingell said.

The subcommittee's ranking Republican, Rep. Thomas J. Bllley Jr, R-Va, said, "particularly In the aftermath of the savings and loan catastrophe, Congress must make certain that all insur- we financially able to pay claims. Questions don't stop cdri By Fred Knapp Journal StatahouM Bureau The Legislature Friday brushed aside questions of politics and experience and confirmed Ann Spence as a member of the Nebraska Investment Council. Lawmakers voted '25-4 In favor of Spence, who was nominated by Gov.

KayOrr. Spence, of Omaha, is the wife of Gene Spence, who headed Git's campaign finance committee in 1986. He moved to a background role in Cot's fund raising last year after a dispute over the role of professional fund-raiser Darold Bauer. Sen. Don Wesely of Lincoln said Ann Spence's appointment could be viewed as "political appeasement on this very touchy situation between the governor and Gene Spence." Orr is a Republican.

Wesely is a Democrat But Sen. Glenn Goodrich of Omaha, also a Democrat, enthusiastically endorsed Spence, calling her "one of the most honest, honorable ladies youH ever want to know." Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha, a Republican, also prated Spence, saying her Provisional ed certificates in human relations advanced istics of ImrjroDer. If not criminal behav ior," Rosenberg said. "If you walk Into a morgue and four bodies are being autop-sied, you find a cause of death for those four.

You do not find any Information about whether the rest of the population has cause to worry. The subcommittee report moves from the specific to the general too quickly." The American Council of Life Insurance "considers Insolvency developments important enough to have formed a task force to Identify the problems more fully, said Benno Isaacs, a council spokesmaa "But we do not foresee a serious threat to our members." Isaacs noted that a Congressional Research Service report last summer declared the industry in good shape. "The Insurance industry has had an excellent record In that insolvencies have been rare, and in cases that have occurred, regulators and guarantee funds have usually prevented loss to the era," the service said. "It must be emphasized that there are no signs of Immi From 12321 Walton The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department also told residents to avoid using the water for bathing or washing dishes unless it is filtered first The Health Department found various amounts of seven other volatile organic compounds, Including one weU with 54 times the maximum contaminant level of benzene and more than eight times the limit of Udichloroethane. This marks the second time in two months that the Health Department has found chemicals contaminating water wells in a Lancaster County village.

In December, Emerald residents were told not to drink well water after high levels of volatile organic chemicals were found in six of 11 water samples tested. The Emerald tests found two common industrial solvents, and at levels exceeding the maximum safe levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A county health official said Thursday that chemicals contaminating weus in Emerald probably came from more than one source. Emerald residents were advised to use bottled water for drinking and to filter water used for other purposes, such as washing clothes or bathing.

Because of the findings, Richard Clark, county environmental health chief, said the department now is developing a plan to identify trouble spots throughout the county. The contaminations in Emerald and Walton were found during a three-year, random testing of community water Bill would allow libraries to charge for some services By United Press International State senators have advanced a bin that would permit public libraries to charge for the use of non-basic equipment such as Video equipment and facsimile machines. LB1236, sponsored by Sea Jacklyn Smith of Hastings, gained first-round approval 2M on Thursday. The bin outlines what are considered basic services, such as the loaning of books, and non-basic services, which includes the use of photocopying machines, telephones, fax machines, media equipment personal computers and videocassette recorder equipment Libraries could not charge for basic -services under the bill but they could charge the user of non-basic services for the actual cost of the services. Smith said the bin would benefit smaU-town libraries which are struggling financiany.

Ed commissioner dies BOSTON (AP) Francis KeppeL a U.S. commissioner of education under President Kennedy and a former Harvard graduate school dean, died Monday at age 73. a fens, Clark said. The information was to be used as a base to compare future tests, he sail; But the contamination findings have "brought to a grinding halt what we've done for three years," he said. Clark said nearly an community water weus in the county have been tested, and that the only major contamina-tion problems are Emerald and Wal- But the department did not test individual wehs that may have been built at different depths and to different specifications than the community wens.

Those probably should be tested if an area is identified as a trouble spot, he said. Clark said trouble spots, probably -would share common characteristics such as concentrated residential development and the presence of gasoline stations or businesses using chemicals. Clark said the department can't preclude the possibility that other wells are contaminated. The fact is, we just don't know," he said, i In Walton, the contaminated weus are clustered in the center of the village, near a grain elevator, but Health Department officials say they have not determined any sources of the contami-natioa Clark said there probably are two different contamination sources: one for the carbon-tet, another for the other substances. The presence of benzene suggests fuel contaminatioa which in turn suggests a leaking underground fuel storage tank, he said.

"There was a gas station out therein the past," said Rich Schlenker of the state Department of Environmental Control's hazardous waste sectioa LSJ Forecast tee tentatively has recommended, according to one scenario calculated by the legislative fiscal office. That would cause the budget reserve to dip below the minimum 3 percent level by the end of 1992-93. The committee has been expecting a reduction in revenue forecasts. Sea Gary Hannibal of Omaha, a committee member, said he now feels more comfortable about warning people that "we cant afford anything." Warner said the panel win review its tentative spending recommendations. "Everything's up for grabs," he sail "We win still come up with a recommendation that win fit within existing projections but there obviously is not going to be a lot of room for new bills or new programs." Warner is sponsoring for Orr the ML LB1130, that would extend the property tax relief plan and put a 4 percent limit on certain local government revenues.

He is cautious about LB1059, the school finance proposal that Hatt and' many other senators are backing. He warns about touting it as a property tax relief measure. Many people interpret property tax relief to mean a reduction in their property taxes and, Warner sail the schools wUl be blamed if very little of that occurs under LB1059. Lindsay of Omaha, was advanced S-t Tecumseh Sea Spence Morrissey's LB1151 would allow Nebraskans compensation for injuries resulting from transportation accidents or unforeseen failures at low-level nuclear waste US Ecology, chosen developer and operator of the site, named in late December a location in Boyd County as its preferred site. The waste of four other states as well as Nebraska's would be stored there.

The bill also would require waste generators and, the developer to pay for cleanup and damages from such incidents, i The committee advanced the measure 7-0, with an amendment that, if adopted by the fun Legislature, would attach the contents of a bin by Sea Jim McFarlandof Uncola McFarland's LB1145 would require the faculty operator to prove radioactive contamination of an individual was caused by a source other than the faculty. The claimant would have to prove contamination occurred and damages resulted from it JLi6lSlcllllFC i sends 16 bills to Gov. Orr By Associated Press Lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to 16 bills, including a measure that would ease the transition for a second-class city to become a first-class city. LB957, passed on a 44-0 vote, would allow a second-class city to move up to first-class status when population merits, without having to hold a special election to increase the council size from three wards to four wards. First-class cities have populations of more than 5,000.

Lawmakers also sent to Gov. Kay. Orr: LBtOl to harmonize provisions allocating federal highway trust funds through the state Department of Roads, sponsored by Sens. Jerome Warner and Paul Hartnett, on a 40-0 vote. LB854, to harmonize provisions In the Milk Products Act, Sen.

Rod Johnson's bill, on 41-0 vote. LB857, to list In statute the names of the recognized veteran's organizations In the state, Sen. Ron Withem, 4J-0. LB858, to allow a person with two or more motor vehicles to elect to register them at the same time, sponsored by Sen. Dennis LB 874, to change the date for submitting a county budget document, Sen.

Rex Haberman, 42-0. LB87S, Haberman's bill to exempt cabin trailers from vehicle Identification requirements, 39-1. LB891, to allow, the use of numerals on prestige license plates. Sen. Lowell Johnson's bill changes current statute that limits the plates to three numerals In the field of seven characters, 41-0.

LB893, to change the mileage rate allowed county officials from 20 cents to 24.5 cents. Sen. Dan Lynch, 38-5. LB908, to change the percentage of funds for Iqndowner grants for soil and water conservation, Natural Resources Committee, 43-0. LB907, to remove restrictions on sales, leases, combinations, mergers and consolidations of public power districts.

Natural Resources Committee, 43-0. LB964, to allow a city or village to levy or collect for improvements on certain buildings deemed unsafe or unsuitable, Urban Affairs Committee, 42-0. LB964, to chang the way cities with a commission form of government pass ordinances. Sen. Roger Wehrbeln, 45-0.

LB984, a Banking Committee bill to change provisions-relating to continuing education for certain Insurance agents, 45-0. LB997, a change in the termination date for me Commission on Rural Health Manpower, Sen. Stan Schellpeper, 454. LB101X to provide for a change In the appointment of treasurers of power districts, Sens. Owen Elmer, Jennie Robak and Loran Schmlt, 45-0.

The World-Herald said Friday it was suspending Citron indefinitely without pay. Citron, a native of White Plains, N.Y, began his newspaper career in Omaha with the now-defunct Sun Newspapers in 1966. Ethics panel questions former thrift regulator WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate Ethics Committee has questioned a former top thrift regulator in an investigation of five senators who intervened with banking officials on behalf of Lincoln Savings and Loaa Edwin J. Gray, former chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, said he met with the committee for four hours Friday behind closed doors and "they might choose to invite me back." Ashford announces bid for re-election OMAHA (UPI) State Sea Brad Ashford of Omaha on Thursday announced his re-election bil a AshfonL 40, was elected In 1986 as a registered Democrat with the support of Gov. Bob Kerrey and the state Democratic Party.

He switched his affiliation to the Republican Party in 1988. Ashford, who represents District 6, is unopposei IVtrtiMMIwr I Fingertip FINGERTIPS 477-3333, CtejOnf 1600. UocoiDUcpfaane advance by a vote, was sponsored by sea iiiroy tieiner oi UJienage. Under LB854, women would have to be told the anatomical and physiological characteristics of an unborn child, as wen as other information, before receiving an abortion. After signing an informed-consent document, women would have to wait hours before the abortion could be performed.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. John business experience put her in the van-, guard of women in business. Among her credentials, Spence is president and owner of Spence Title Services Inc. of Sea David Landis of Lincoln, chairman of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, said Spence was "clearly a woman of considerable Sv But Landis noted that at her confir- mation hearing, she said her experience in investments was limited to her own But Landis noted that at her confir- business. "This is not a place to be learn ing on the he said of the five-year appointment to the Investment Council.

According to Wesely, the Investment Council manages $850 million of state funds on a day-to-day basis, along with $1.1 billion In pension funds and $150 million in trust funds. In the end, only Wesely, Landis and Sens. Dan Lynch of Omaha and Spence Morrissey of Tecumseh, all registered Democrats in the officially non-partisan Legislature, voted to oppose Spence's appointment. ance groups. Speaker William Barrett's LB1032 advanced 28-0 after being amended for clarification and to add an emergency clause allowing the measure to go into effect immediately if signed by the governor.

Under the bill, the Executive Board of the Legislative Council would approve the reimbursements of state commissions, councils, committees and other bodies that assist the Legislature. Currently only the governor can approve such expense repayments. LEGISLATURE' i -JL i By Aaaociatad Prosa lit Legislature-Second Saulon Krd Legislative on, Feb. 21 Convened: a.m. Advanced from general file: LBs IMA, 313A, 980A.

COMMITTti ACTION Government: Advanced LB93I. Health and Human Service: Advanced LB1222. Killed LBS 64, 664, 757, 86. 925, 948, 49, 1089, 1111, 1111 1131 lWt 1233. Adlourned: going on the road school finance changes in LB1059 should not be lost sight of among the mountains of computer printouts now being1 churned out to show who wins and who "Changes in public policy ought to be based on how they affect the general public, not on how they affect narrow special interests," he sail The forums will be March 8 at Columbus; March 9 at Omaha; March 10 at Lexington and Hastings; and March 14 at Beatrice, prosecutor for the grand jury, which is slated to begin work next month.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Davis said he was withdrawing to avoid any appearance of impropriety. "That (continuing to represent Citron) would be perceived as a conflict of interest," Davis sail explaining that he did not want people to think he had been working with the committee and representing Citron at the same time. Sea Loran Schmit of BeUwood confirmed Friday that the Franklin committee, which he chairs, had voted to recommend to Douglas County District Judge James Buckley that Davis be named special prosecutor for the state grand jury. The grand jury was called by Douglas County District Court judges at the request of Attorney General Robert Spire, but Schmit said the committee also had considered asking the judges to call a grand jury. He said Douglas County Sheriff Richard Roth had recommended Davis to the committee as a possible special prosecutor for a grand jury and had cited Davis work in investigating corruption in the Chicago Police Department Schmit said he met with Davis in Omaha "one Sunday afternoon" and discussed general, information about the Franklincase.

He said he was not alarmed when he heard that Davis was representing Citron. "I figured he's a highly ethical person and knew what to do," Schmit sail "He caned me and told me he would 1 not be able to represent him (Citron) because I had met with him and we had discussed broad general aspects of the various allegations that were taking place in the city," Schmit sail The DEC has been cooperating the county and state health departments, on the Walton investigation, and is serf ing as liaison with the EPA. Clark said the contaminant tevels are not Immediately life-threatening. potential health problems would resuhV from long-term exposure. For Walton residents, the test results mean drinking bottled water and bring-J ing water in from outside the cmv munity for washing.

Water restrictions are harder for famines with children, Three generations of the Barnett family live in a trailer, including a baby. The family's wen has nearly three times the limit of carbon-tet and smaU amounts of other compounds, a "With him, we have to take it serfims-ly," Gayle Barnett said of her infant grandson, Cameron Barnes. "He's so little. We wouldn't want any problem." Barnett said the family has been buying bottled water at a grocery store and hauling in water from Uncola "We go to my son's house (in Lincoln) to bathe," she said. Barnett said the family would remain in Walton if something could be done about the water.

Their landlord is looking into installing a filter systenvshe sail I Clark said installing a filter system would make the water safe enough; for bathing arid washing dishes and clothes, butnotfororinking. I Future options including continuing to buy bottled water, hooking into Lincoln's water system, tying into an existing rural water district or becoming part of a new rural water district 1 Clark said public meetings held soon in both Emerald and Walton- ftt discuss the LB1059 now contains a one-year limit? on school district spending. Warner said the bill needs to be amended to exclude that limit and describe the measure as providing increased state aid for public' schools; or to make a very effective; limitation that includes not just school; districts but also cities, cohv-munity colleges and possibly natural re- sources districts. The forecasting board dropped; its forecast for the current fiscal year by $38 million, from $1,153 billion to SLU5 billion. For 1990-91, it reduced its estimate by $32 mlUloa from J1.190 billion to.

$1,158 bfflioa sX Following are the October forecasts; for four categories of state revenue and the new figures approved Friday. mm Soles ana use tax: $48 million; $440 mll-t Hon. 4 Individual Income tax: $485 million; $480. million. Corporate Income tax: $75 million; $60 million, i Miscellaneous taxes: $138 million; $135 million.

1990-91 Sates and use tax: $470 million; $460 million. Individual Income tax: $515 million; $515' million. Corporate Income tax: $75 million; $55 mil-. Hon. i Miscellaneous taxes: $130 million; $128 mil-' Hon.

Monday in mMm mi vjj mu i im- iiq mm -ijiwi vq wt. i dd 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -1m 1 IUI JL By Associated Press, The Legislature gave first-round approval to a bin that would allow teachers and administrators to get a two-year provisional certificate while they complete a requirement in competency in human relations. The Education Committee made LB1090 a priority bill. Several senators have said they had been contacted by constituents who were having trouble getting certified because no program to meet the human relations competency requirement has been established at some state colleges. Lawmakers passed a bill last year mandating the requirement' The measure also was amended to include the contents of North Platte Sea Dave Bernard-Stevens' LB1195, a bin that would create two Educational Technology Satellite Centers in North Platte and Scottsbluff.

Lawmakers also gave first-round approval to a measure that would allow the Legislature to approve expense reimbursements for legislative assist Ed finance plan By Associated Presa The School Financing Review Commission plans to take LB1059, the finance and property tax relief proposal now pending before the Legislature, on the road next month for five public forums. Commission Chairman Sea Ron Withem of Papillion and several colleagues have clashed with Gov. Kay Orr's administration about the plan in recent weeks. Withem said Thursday that the "the merits of the tax policy and From Citron to hide it" Citron told the World-Herald that the events of the past two months have ruined his journalism career in Omaha. He said the stress of the criminal case and the rumors about bis alleged involvement in child sexual abuse connected with Franklin also have cost him both physicafly and emotionany.

"When you're in the public eye, you become somewhat inured to it," he sail "But when something like this happens, you feel it a hundredfold It seems effectively to have ended my career here." During the interview at Davis' office, Citron denied any involvement in Franklin-related matters and said he was Uv-ing in San Francisco in 1983 and 1984 when much of the Franklin-related child abuse is alleged to have occurred, according to videotaped statements three victim-witnesses gave to the Legislature's investigator. Citron told the World-Herald that stress as a result of the rumors has caused him to lose weight and slowed his recovery from a blood disorder called eosinophUia-myalgia syndrome. The disorder was discovered recently and is believed to be related to the use of an over-the-counter food supplement, L-tryptophaa "There have been rumors that I have AIDS. I do not have AIDS," he sail Davis withdrew as Citron's attorney Friday after learning he was the Franklin legislative committee's choice to act as special prosecutor in a state grand jury investigation of Franklia Davis, who has represented Citron in various business dealings, said he also has advised members of the Franklin committee. Former Lancaster County District Judge Sam Van Pelt has been named Neighbors SI Lincoln Journal is launching a new Neighbors page on Monday, Feb.

2b. Every Monday the journal will focus on what's happening in neighborhoods in Lincoln and Lancaster County. The Neighbors page will include The fefa features on neighborhood groups, issues, and upcoming events, a community calendar, and a local column by Ann Harrell. Donl miss Neighbors Every tne uiKom jounuu. coin 1 Journal l-H urn iim wmmm i i ail 473-7300 for convenient home delivery..