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Nebraska senators' filibusters force some priorities aside

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Legislature will end the session having passed a budget and property tax measures, but many other proposals have fallen by the wayside.

Legislators used filibusters at least a dozen times in last-ditch efforts to stop bills that otherwise likely would have been approved. The drawn-out-debates helped block contentious bills, such as a new Medicaid expansion proposal and gun-rights legislation, but they also derailed proposals that weren't controversial.

While bills can win approval with a simple majority in the 49-seat single-chamber Legislature, it takes 33 votes to overcome a filibuster. That's an even higher hurdle than the 30 votes it takes to override a governor's veto. Filibusters also burn valuable time in the session, forcing lawmakers to work longer days and delaying votes on other issues.

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