Our law enforcement officials are absolutely vital to our security and safety as Nebraskans. We should be doing whatever we can as a Legislature to give our law enforcement the support necessary to carry out their roles. 

On January 26th, the Judiciary Committee sat through over five hours of testimony on “criminal justice reform bills.” This includes Senator McKinney’s LB 980 and Senator Wayne’s LB 918. LB 980 would make anyone with a lengthy prison sentence, including mandatory life sentences, eligible for parole after only serving 25 years. This means that the most violent criminals such as rapists and murderers would have the opportunity to leave prison early and victimize more people. 

LB 918 would double the cash values required for a crime to be considered a felony. The argument for this bill is that inflation is creating felons out of people committing small-scale crimes. However, this is not true. There are only six states that have a felony theft threshold higher than us, and, if this bill were to pass, it would put us at number one. Currently, our felony theft threshold is even higher than in California. This is simply a bill that softens Nebraska’s response to crime and makes our state vulnerable to “smash and grab” robberies that plague other cities. I opposed LBs 980 and 918. Being soft on crime does not keep crime from happening, and it will exacerbate the issues our agencies are facing.

There are better ways to deal with criminals than by letting inmates out early. Though LB 920 has many problematic parts to it, there are a few ideas in there worth pursuing. One of these ideas is to expand problem-solving and drug courts. These courts operate within judicial districts and are established for the treatment of problems related to substance use, mental health, domestic violence, and inmates reentering society after incarceration. They are an innovative way to address the root causes of incarceration and recidivism. We have one of these courts in Nemaha County, and it has been an absolute blessing to our community. People are less likely to recommit crimes after participating in these courts, which helps our law enforcement protect our communities.

We should still go even further in helping our law enforcement agencies. That is why I brought LB 942 this session. After surveying law enforcement agencies across the state, I found some key issues that they are facing in staffing their agencies. LB 942 would give law enforcement agencies in rural areas the opportunity to utilize non-certified and reserve officers for law enforcement purposes. It also would remove the reciprocity program for law enforcement statewide. I look forward to getting this bill passed and giving our officers the resources they need to best protect us.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov. 

The second week of the 2022 legislative session wrapped up Friday, and senators only have a few more days to introduce new bills. This column will highlight one of my bills this session that will have a direct, positive impact District 1– LB 887.

LB 887 authorizes Peru State College to provide a larger selection of master’s degree programs. Currently, Peru State offers two graduate programs: a Master of Science in Education and a Master of Science in Organizational Management. However, these two programs are the only programs that Peru State is authorized to offer under our state’s laws.

This bill has an interesting backstory to it, as all other public state colleges and universities in Nebraska are free to authorize new master’s degree programs as they see fit, while Peru State is forced to seek approval through the Legislature for any new advanced degree programs. That restrictive language was added decades ago to prevent Peru State’s programs from overlapping with other higher education institutions in Southeast Nebraska, like the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Lincoln. The reasoning was Peru State should remain strictly a “Teacher’s College.” A Peru State alum reached out to me this interim to explain the quirk in statute, and I introduced LB 887 to ensure Peru State has the same freedom to offer advanced degrees as any other public state college or university.

Our office worked closely with Paul Turman, the Chancellor of the Nebraska State College System, representatives from Peru State, and with the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education to get the research needed for us to draft the language for LB 887. Peru State is a key economic driver in District 1, and we will continue to work to get this bill across the finish line.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.

On January 5th, the 107th Nebraska Legislature convened for its second regular session. The Legislature’s second session is a bit different in that all bills from the first session carry over to the second. Instead of considering around 700 bills, we will likely be considering over 1,200.

Four senators have already prioritized bills from 2021, and this column will focus on the first piece of legislation up for debate early this week– Senator Halloran’s LR 14– a Resolution to Congress for convention of the states to propose a narrow set of amendments to the United States Constitution. This resolution would give Nebraska a seat at the table during the Convention of States. LR 14 brings up three specific amendment proposals: limiting the size and scope of the federal government, spending limits on the federal government, and term limits for Congress.

The federal government’s power has rocketed to the front of everyone’s minds with COVID-19, when we have seen multiple examples of the federal government destroying individual liberties for the sake of a perceived “common good.” An overreaching federal government is an affront to the foundation of the United States.

LR 14 calls for the Convention of States to consider putting fiscal restraints, like a balanced budget requirement, on the federal government. As I write this, the US National Debt is over 29 trillion dollars (you can always see the current national debt at www.usdebtclock.org). The federal government’s reckless spending threatens the financial stability of our country for now and for future generations.

Finally, LR 14 calls for the Convention of States to consider term limits for U.S. Representatives and Senators. Don Young of Alaska is currently the longest-serving congressman, serving for nearly 49 years. Patrick Leahy of Vermont follows right behind as the longest-serving member of the Senate, serving for 46 years. Former President Harry S. Truman is famously quoted as saying “term limits would cure both senility and seniority– both terrible legislative diseases.” Entrenched federal representatives lack the basic life experiences needed to serve their districts well. The last few decades of dysfunction in Washington underscore the need for term limits.

If LR 14 passes, the Convention of States could address many of the structural issues in our country. LR 14 fights for the rights of individual states and the freedoms Americans enjoy by setting clear limits on the federal government’s power, balancing our country’s budget, and stopping career politicians in their tracks.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.

As I write this, we are officially less than two weeks away from starting our legislative session. Since 2022 is the second session of our 107th Legislature, our session will only be 60 legislative days. We are currently projected to finish this upcoming session on April 20th. This column will highlight what we might expect over the next couple of months. 

Short sessions are traditionally a sprint through the spring. Our short sessions are two-thirds the length of our long ones, and every bill from the first session carries over to the second. Senators can introduce as many bills as they choose during the first ten days, meaning that by the end of our time for introduction, we will likely have over 1,000 bills to consider. 

Some COVID-19 protocols may still be in place at the Capitol in January. Last year, we had all-day hearings as a response to COVID-19, and only switched over to debate after most of our bills had their hearings. We also had more ways for the public to testify, so they would not have to put themselves at risk by coming to the Capitol. We will keep everyone posted on the Legislature’s COVID-19 rules so that everyone will get a chance to make their voices heard on topics important to them.

As far as legislation goes, our state is in a very unique situation. Due to the passing of the American Rescue Plan and a very successful year for Nebraska’s economy, there is a record amount of funds available for tax relief and other projects. We will certainly see many pieces of legislation to spend this money along with our regular budget adjustments. Debates over spending extra funds will take most of the session. Senators must remain mindful that these funds are taxpayer dollars and mostly one-time revenues. We must not throw money at unsustainable plans to increase our long-term spending. I would like to see these funds returned to the taxpayers as tax relief, invest in broadband expansion and rural main streets, and consider one-time investments on projects that will draw additional tourism to Nebraska. 

Personally, I will be introducing bills important to our region and rural Nebraska as a whole, including a bill to make ATVs and UTVs street legal through a statutory framework similar to South Dakota’s, a bill to cut red tape for our rural sheriff’s departments, and a bill to expand advanced degree offerings at Peru State College. I will provide bill numbers once these pieces of legislation are officially introduced in January and look forward to working with my colleagues to get these bills across the finish line.

If you’re so inclined, please pray for wisdom and strength for our senators to stand up for what is right for Nebraska and Nebraskans during this short session. Heaven knows we could all use it.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov. 

Merry Christmas, District 1! The holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends, exchange gifts, and eat Christmas treats. For those in the military, first responders, or essential workers who are unable to be with family and friends during this season, thank you for your service. Almost every community in District 1 hosts holiday events throughout the month of December from Christmas pageants to soup suppers, and I’d encourage you to join me in exploring the wide range of offerings throughout our region.

Christmastime also means we are just a couple of short weeks away from the start of the legislative session. You can rest assured that I will work to protect the freedoms of all Nebraskans, promote rural economic development, and push to further cut property taxes. My next column will preview what we might expect from this upcoming session.

Although the challenges of these past three years might make it challenging to have holiday cheer, there is still an amazing reason for celebration. The true joy of Christmastime has never been the gifts around the tree, but rather, something far more valuable– the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.  

“…[D]o not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:10-14).

Merry Christmas, District 1.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov. 

Happy Thanksgiving, District 1!

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to visit our close friends and family, eat a glorious amount of food, and remember the things we are thankful for in our lives.

There is much to be thankful for in the United States, especially Southeast Nebraska. We have more freedoms and opportunities in the United States than any other country in the world, granted through our groundbreaking Constitution and protected by the brave men and women serving our country’s armed forces. In Nebraska, we can be thankful we have the country’s lowest unemployment rate ever at 1.9% (which is the lowest rate for any state nationwide since record-keeping began) and for a booming economy, even amidst the turmoil the nation is facing.

Thanksgiving is not simply a government-proclaimed holiday. Ronald Reagan said in his 1984 Thanksgiving proclamation, “We can be especially thankful that real gratitude to God is inscribed, not in proclamations of government, but in the hearts of all our people who come from every race, culture, and creed on the face of the Earth. And as we pause to give thanks for our many gifts, let us be tempered by humility and by compassion for those in need, and let us reaffirm through prayer and action our determination to share our bounty with those less fortunate.” 

As Reagan’s quote suggests, it is not the government that makes Thanksgiving a special holiday- it is the thankfulness in our hearts. So, as you spend this holiday with your friends and family and fill yourself with turkey, stuffing, and pie, please don’t forget to remember all that you have to be thankful for this year. 

This year, I am thankful for many things- first and foremost being the opportunity to serve you. I’m also grateful for my family, my upcoming wedding in December to Andrew La Grone, and our communities in Southeast Nebraska, who came together in force to support those facing loss this year. Thanksgiving was first officially celebrated in the aftermath of the Civil War. President Lincoln declared the holiday so, even in the face of unimaginable loss, Americans could look towards gratitude to heal the country. That spirit is still alive in our country today. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, District 1!

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.

Happy Veterans Day, District 1! 

As we celebrate another Veterans Day, we take time out of our busy schedules to recognize the sacrifices made by those who answered the call of duty to serve our country. To all the veterans reading this week’s column, thank you for your service. You are true patriots and deserve to be recognized every day of the year, not just on November 11th.

We are blessed in District 1 to be the home of thousands of veterans. Veterans make up 7.9 percent of the population in Johnson County, 9.5 percent in Nemaha, 10.4 percent in Otoe, 11 percent in Pawnee, and 11.9 percent in Richardson. When you include the families of these brave individuals, you will find that the majority of the people in our district have close ties to service members. This is something that we should all be proud of.

However, a mere “thank you” from those able to do more is not enough. Words are always appreciated, but actual actions are much more meaningful. In 2020, the Legislature was able to pass a bill that would exempt 50% of military retirement pay from income taxes, which was then followed up by the passage of LB 387, which completely exempted military retirement pay from our income tax rolls. We also passed LB 64, which benefits all retirees by phasing out income taxes on Social Security payments. I look forward to supporting and introducing more veteran-friendly legislation in sessions to come.

Celebrating Veterans Day provides us with a fresh reminder to be thankful for the freedoms that we have in our country and the courageous men and women who fight for the United States around the world. Make sure to thank a veteran this week for all they have done for our country. God Bless you for your service and sacrifice.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov. 

Since President Biden announced his vaccine mandate for all businesses with 100 or more employees, hundreds of people have contacted my office to share their opposition. Governor Ricketts ordered state agencies under his control to not enforce the vaccine mandate, and Attorney General Peterson joined a lawsuit to stop the vaccine mandate for federal contractors and federally contracted employees. These are steps in the right direction, but it is not enough to protect Nebraskans from this federal overreach. 

We need to bring the Legislature together for a special session. Neb. Rev. Stat. 50-125 says that whenever ten or more senators send a request for a special session in writing to the Secretary of State, the Secretary shall notify the rest of the Legislature and ask if they desire to convene for a special session. If 33 senators agree, then the Secretary of State shall relay the information to the Governor, who has agreed to call a special session if 33 senators support it. On October 19th, I joined a bipartisan group of 26 senators in sending a letter to the Nebraska Secretary of State requesting a special session “for the purpose of adopting legislation to prohibit employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccines and legislation to prohibit governmental and/or educational entities from mandating COVID-19 vaccines as a condition of receiving services.” At the close of business on November 1, we will find out if 33 senators support a special session to ban vaccine mandates.

Opposing vaccine mandates is not the same as opposing vaccines. Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is YOUR choice- it’s not the federal government’s place to decide for you. The federal government, for the first time in history, has created a blanket mandate through an executive order with almost zero exceptions. This sets a precedent that goes far beyond the childhood immunization requirements for school, and opens the door for far more expansive executive orders in the future. Do I believe it is healthy to get the vaccine? Yes. But so is regular exercise, eating vegetables, and drinking eight cups of water per day- yet we don’t pass federal mandates on those behaviors because it clearly infringes on individual freedom.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.

On October 12, our country celebrated National Farmers Day– a day to honor all of the hardworking farmers across our nation.  The holiday is always celebrated in the midst of fall harvest. As Harvest 2021 rolls forward, this week’s column will salute our state’s farmers and ranchers.

Our state’s economy runs on agriculture. For every dollar in agricultural exports, $1.28 is generated in economic activities such as transportation, financing, warehousing, and production. Nebraska’s $5.8 billion in agricultural exports in 2019 translates to an additional $7.4 billion in additional economic activity. Nebraska generated around $21.4 billion in agricultural cash receipts in 2019, which was 8.8% of the state’s GDP.

One out of every four jobs in our state is related to agriculture. Farmers are some of the hardest-working people in our state, and our policymakers should recognize them as such. Over the last two decades, high property taxes have stunted economic growth in agriculture and put our rural schools at a clear disadvantage in funding. 

Rural senators in our Legislature are fighting to provide property tax relief. This past session, we passed a state budget that put a record $1.7 billion towards property tax relief in this biennium. We also saw legislation passed that addressed structural issues in our property tax system.  LB 2, introduced by Senator Briese, changed the valuation of ag land for the purposes of school district taxes levied to pay school bonds. Also, Senator Ben Hansen introduced a “truth in taxation” bill, LB 644, which will require certain political subdivisions to hold a joint public hearing before increasing their property tax requests and notify residents about when these hearings will take place. It’s a good start, but progress can’t stop there. We need sweeping, systemic changes in our property tax system. As harvest draws to a close, take some time to thank a farmer and their families. Policymakers must go beyond words and provide substantive support to those who keep food on our tables.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604; telephone 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov

On September 30th, Nebraska Legislature adjourned until January 2022 after successfully completing the Redistricting Special Session. Our Legislature completed its Constitutional duty of redrawing the boundaries of  79 different districts across 6 maps. Due to COVID-related census delays, a process that normally takes nine months was condensed into three weeks to prevent delays in Nebraska’s May 2022 primary elections. This column will reflect on some of the changes to maps in District 1.

If you live in Pawnee, Richardson, Nemaha, and Johnson Counties- there were no changes made during Redistricting that impact your districts or representatives. Legislative District 1 is still entirely in the 5th District for the University’s Board of Regents (represented by Rob Schafer), the 1st District for the Public Service Commission (represented by Dan Watermeier), the 5th Supreme Court Judicial District, and the 5th District for the Nebraska State Board of Education (represented by Patricia Timm).

The biggest changes for Southeast Nebraska are the additions of Otoe County to Congressional District 3 and Nebraska City to Legislative District 1. Otoe County is a strong fit in Congressional District 3. Its communities of interest fit well with the rest of Southeast Nebraska and the rest of rural Nebraska, which are represented by Rep. Adrian Smith. Personally, I have been very impressed by Congressman Smith’s accessibility and participation in events across his district, which stretches from Chadron to Rulo. I’m confident he will represent Otoe County well.

In the past decade, Otoe County and Nebraska City were split between Legislative Districts 1 and 2. Now, the entirety of the county and city is in Legislative District 1. Therefore, I would like to officially welcome around 4,000 new Otoe County constituents to District 1. Senator Clements and I always considered ourselves as jointly representing Nebraska City and Otoe County, so there won’t be any major changes to your representation in the Legislature. Uniting Nebraska City will be beneficial for District 1, and it’s an honor to continue serving you.

Our Legislature has a full slate for its upcoming January session. We will explore the major issues in more detail in columns throughout the fall, including fighting against government mandates, growing our rural economy, strengthening our pro-life laws, bringing Constitutional Carry to Nebraska, cutting taxes, and further securing our elections. You have my word that I’ll continue to stay true to our values and provide honest, transparent updates. Until then- have a blessed and plentiful harvest.

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.