Name: John Murante

Current position: State Senator Legislative District 49, Nebraska

Future position: Murante has been linked to a potential Congresssional run for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional district.  If Representative Brad Ashford wins re-election in 2016, it seems likely to me Murante will run for the Congressional seat in 2018.

Political party: Republican

Positions/key votes:

LB 268 – Yes.  This vote was to repeal the death penalty vote.  Murante voted for the repeal initially.  When Governor Pete Ricketts vetoed the bill, Murante sustained the veto.

LB 10 –  This bill would move Nebraska to a winner-take-all electoral college votes.  This would move Nebraska from splitting their electoral votes, as was the case in 2008.  Murante was one of the biggest supporters of this bill.

LB 947- This bill would allow immigrants who were protected with President Barack Obama’s executive actions with DACA to apply for work licenses.  Murante voted against this bill.

LB 586 – This bill was for a statewide Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) in Nebraska.  The vote on the bill was to table the bill to the end of the session.  A vote to table the bill is, in effect, a vote against the measure as a whole.  Murante voted to table the bill.

LB 1032- This bill would expand Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  It is conservative plan to expand Medicaid which would give money to have people purchase private health insurance.  The vote on this bill was to table the bill.  Thus, a vote to table the bill is, in effect, a vote against the bill as a whole.  Murante voted to table the bill.

LB 485 (previous session)- This bill was for a statewide ENDA.  Murante voted against the bill.

LB 83 (previous session) – This bill would expand prohibition on wage discrimination by gender to employers with 2-15 employees.  Murante did not vote on this bill.

LB 599 (previous session) – This bill established a minimum wage for young student workers at a rate of $8/hour or 85% of the federal minimum wage, whichever is higher.  Murante did not vote on this bill.

LB 943 (previous session) – This bill would increase the minimum wage in Nebraska from $7.25 to $7.65 beginning January 2015, $8.35 beginning January 2016, and $9.00 beginning January 2017.  Murante voted against this bill.

Murante opposed a measure that would increase the minimum wage for tipped wage employees to $3/hour.