Hello, Nebraska!
Next week is the first week of committee hearings, and we’re doing things a bit differently this year. Typically, we would have debate in the legislative chambers in the morning and committee hearings in the afternoon. 

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Speaker Hilgers decided to change how we do things this year. At least for the foreseeable future, the hearings will be all day, starting at 9:30 am. There will be a break from noon to 1:30 pm and then hearings will recommence in the afternoon.

On that note, several of my bills have already been scheduled for hearings next week. 

On Wednesday, the Government Military and Veteran’s Affairs Committee’s morning session kicks off with my LR1. This resolution lays out the benefits of having the US Space Command brought back to Offutt Air Force Base and makes an official request of the Biden administration to take those benefits into account when choosing a new home starting in 2023. When I introduced this resolution, 47 other senators cosigned, a nearly totally unprecedented level of support for something like this.

Also, on Wednesday morning, the Health and Human Services Committee is holding a hearing on LB476. The bill will use Nebraska’s existing Stroke System of Care as a foundation to establish and implement an improvement plan for a more comprehensive system for stroke response and treatment. The bill also requires DHHS to collaborate with the task force to maintain a statewide stroke data registry using the ‘Get with the Guidelines’ stroke data set provided by the American Heart Association. Having this data available for our health professionals and research community will prove to be an invaluable tool in helping to save lives and prevent strokes here in Nebraska.

Wednesday will be a busy day, as LB14, my Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist interstate compact will be heard starting at 1:30 in front of the Health and Human Services Committee. This bill will create better access for patients, offer telehealth alternatives, and remove hurdles for employment for professionals, including military spouses and family members. Six states have currently enacted this compact, and at least another six are considering it. The compact goes into effect when 10 states join. As you know, I have had several other bills passed for compacts for things like psychology, physical therapists and others. The compacts have more flexibility than just reciprocity because the licensed person will not only be able to practice here in Nebraska but other states in the compact as well. It also creates exceptional consumer protections as part of the compact. These compacts are supported by the Military Families Office at the Pentagon and I’m proud to continue to bring these forward.

On Thursday, we’re back in front of the Health and Human Services Committee one more time for a hearing on another compact bill, LB15. This legislation adopts the Occupational Therapy Interstate Compact, which, like the Audiologist compact will create better access for patients, offer telehealth alternatives, and remove hurdles for employment for professionals including military spouses and family members. This compact was just sent to states in November so Nebraska could be among the first to adopt.

Finally, on Friday, I will have two bills in front of the Revenue Committee. The first is LB6, which better clarifies the military retirement bill, LB153. The mechanism used was based on 1099’s received from the Department of Defense. There are military retirees that do not receive form 1099 from the US DOD but receive it from The Office of Personnel Management. They are being told they’re not eligible under 153 and LB6 would make them eligible for the benefits under the recently revised Nebraska Statutes, ensuring all are included. 

Directly after that bill will be LB10 which makes it so that “disabled veteran” when referred to in Nebraska State Statute has the same meaning as is used at the federal level as in 5 U.S.C. 2108: “A disabled veteran means an individual who has served on active duty in the armed forces, (except as provided under section 2108a ) has been separated therefrom under honorable conditions, and has established the present existence of a service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension because of a public statute administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or a military department.”

Current Nebraska statutes require amputation in order to qualify as a disabled veteran. This new definition will remove confusion when comparing state and federal definitions, and bring  more equitable opportunities for our Veterans with disabilities.

There have been some changes to the way hearings are carried out as well. Because of the pandemic, Speaker Hilgers would prefer not to pack the room with testifiers but understands it’s a fundamental right to participate in the legislative hearings in Nebraska. To that end, only those who intend to testify on a bill will be allowed to sit in the hearing room. The Speaker also said his office is setting up a system that will allow users to track the hearing online and enter comments on any bill being heard on the Legislature’s website. He hopes to have this ready for the first hearings of the year on Monday, the 25th.

As always the committees are also accepting letters of support or opposition in lieu of testimony. Because of the added stressors that come from all-day hearings, those letters must now be submitted by noon the day before to be made part of the official record. Last year, the letters were needed by 5 pm the day before, so there is a smaller window of time this time around.

In order to see exactly how you can participate in legislative hearings this year, you can go to this link.

For a full list and additional information about all the bills I’ve introduced and cosponsored, you can click the link here.

State of the Judiciary

On Thursday, the Nebraska Supreme Court’s Chief Justice came to the Legislature to give his State of the Judiciary address. A great deal of his speech focused on the changes that had to be made in the way the courts carried out business over the last year.

Chief Justice Heavican talked about the technological adjustments they had to make to procedures because of the pandemic. He was quite proud, and so am I, that the courts remained open and adapted quickly to their new reality. He made clear that those who needed to avail themselves of the court system could do so.

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.
Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I just wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to one of this country’s great leaders. Among the many other accomplishments he had, he showed that someone could be a leader, even if they aren’t an elected official. I’d encourage every single man, woman, and child in my district to embody that spirit.

The one thing that has become clear to me, especially the way the world is right now, is that we have many people struggling in silence. People who rarely ask for help but will take it when offered. You can be that helping hand, you can be that person that helps remove what they may feel is an insurmountable hurdle.

Coronavirus Vaccine Signup
The website for Sarpy and Cass County Vaccine Signup actually went live last week, but I neglected to include it in my newsletter, so I’m pointing it out this week. At the moment, people who sign up on this website should be 65 or above.

To be clear, the vaccines are not being made available to the general public just yet, but various counties around the state are starting to get ready for when they will be, by offering websites like this. You can enter your contact information and they will contact you when it’s time to distribute the vaccine to more people.