LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A proposal to raise the fee for marriage licenses in Nebraska is headed to a first-round vote in the Legislature next week.
Lawmakers ended their debate on the bill Friday before reaching a vote. Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley says they'll likely decide the issue on Monday.
Opponents say the proposed increase from $15 to $50 amounts to a tax increase of more than 300 percent for couples getting hitched. Some senators have proposed amendments to lower the increase.
Senator Kathy Campbell of Lincoln has said the current $15 fee doesn't cover the cost of collecting and filing marriage licenses.
Senator Ernie Chambers of Omaha says the proposal is a small way of encroaching on the public.
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