A state lawmaker and cattle feeder says drivers who hit livestock on Nebraska roads should have a higher burden of proof to show that farmers and ranchers are to blame for an accident.
Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogallala says he wants to require motorists to show "specific acts of negligence" when they file lawsuits against a cattle owner.
He says cattle owners care about their animals and take great care to protect their property. But he says livestock are living, breathing animals that are capable of escape.
Cattle can jump fences and unlock gates by themselves, he says, and ranchers should not be blamed for an accident if they are doing everything they can to keep them fenced in.
He says truly negligent cattle owners will still be held accountable.
