The Business and Labor Committee is responsible for processing legislation involving the following subject areas:

• workers’ compensation; Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court
• unemployment compensation
• labor and employment relations; Commission of Industrial Relations; fair employment practices
• health and safety regulations; labor conditions
• claims against the State
• plant closings; job training; boiler inspection
• Nebraska Wage Payment and Collection Act; Wage and Hour Act
• Conveyance Safety Act

During session, the Business and Labor Committee meets on Mondays in Room 1524 on the 1st Floor of the Capitol.

Nebraska’s unique Unicameral Legislature relies heavily on the “second house” – the citizens of the State of Nebraska. Ensuring that members of the public have the opportunity to have their voices heard is vital to the legislative process. The link below explains the ways for citizens to share their views on a bill with the Legislature.

Public Input Options.

Business and Labor Committee Policy on Hearing Schedules

The committee hearing schedule will be posted outside of the Room 1524 and Chairman Senator Ben Hansen’s office prior to the commencement of the hearing. The schedule for committee hearings will proceed as listed on the legislative website, assuming there are no unforeseen circumstances that require a change.

Business & Labor Committee Policy on Public Hearing Input

Anyone attending a public hearing in person will have an opportunity to present verbal testimony to the committee and be subject to questioning by the committee members. For details go to https://nebraskalegislature.gov/committees/public-input.php.

Position Comments for the Public Hearing Record
If you are not testifying in person at a public hearing on a bill or resolution and
would like to submit written comments to be included in the official hearing record
as an exhibit, you will find a link to submit your comments online on the chamber
viewer page for each bill or resolution. Comments are allowed once a bill has been
scheduled for public hearing and must be submitted prior to 12:00 p.m. CST on the
last work day prior to the public hearing to be included in the official hearing
record.
The comments submitted online prior to the deadline and identified as comments
for the public hearing record will be the only method for submission of official
hearing record comments other than testifying in person. Letters and comments
submitted via email or hand-delivered will no longer be included as part of the
hearing record although they are a viable option for communicating your views
with an individual senator.

Submission of Online Comments
In order to facilitate public input on legislation, a feature was added to the
Nebraska Legislature’s website for submission of written comments on pending
legislation on the Legislature’s website at any stage of the process. (To access this
feature, search for the bill you wish to submit a statement on and click the
corresponding button near the top of the bill page.) This feature will appear once a
bill has been scheduled for a public hearing.
Persons submitting comments online will have the option to request the comments
be included in the official public hearing record as an exhibit if the comments are
submitted prior to 12:00 p.m. CST on the last work day prior to the public hearing.
[Disclosure Statement drop down box on each submitted comments page]
This feature on the Nebraska Legislature’s website is intended to encourage public
participation. Comments submitted through this portal will be available to all
legislators and staff. Additionally, they may be read and/or discussed during
hearings and floor debate.
New this year, comments submitted online prior to the deadline and identified as
comments for the public hearing record will be available to anyone requesting a
public hearing transcript with exhibits.

There should be no expectation of privacy and these comments will be made
available to others upon request. Thank you for your interest in the legislative
process.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the office of Senator Ben Hansen, Committee Chair.

Phone: 402-471-2728

Committee Clerk, Christina Campbell: ccampbell@leg.ne.gov

Legal Council, Benson Wallace: bwallace@leg.ne.gov